At UN, Of Closed Cafeterias, Misled Staff & Laid Off Workers, Aramark & Delegates' Lounge Tales

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 18 -- After this week's reception and panel discussion in the renovated UN Delegates' Lounge, many have asked Inner City Press when that space, as the UN's bar, and the fourth floor Delegates' Dining Room will “really re-open.”

  Both are run by Aramark, which remains the UN's contractor. 

  And for years now, Aramark has been providing less and less, and worse and worse, service under the contract, with no response from the UN. From high to this low, and slip and fall, is it any wonder this mis-run UN can't solve world problems, even adds to them?

  Aramark reduced the Headquarters building cafeteria's hours, now closing at 4 pm, even as the building fills back up. Aramark has now closed the cafeterias across First Avenue in UNICEF and UNDP / DC-1, while continuing to claim that renovation work is ongoing.

  Workers for Aramark, many of whom have been furloughed or laid off, confide to Inner City Press they've been told Aramark will not re-open the Delegates' Dining Room for lunch service until... September, preferring to only use the (UN) space for catered events.

  And that's it -- the working theory is that Aramark makes big money on catering, because it charges steep prices for outside special events, but makes less on operating retail concessions: the cafeterias, coffee shops, perhaps the Delegates' Lounge bar.

  So the UN is allowing Aramark to make their big profits but also allowing them to save money by reducing or eliminating services, and letting them lay off or furlough workers. But the UN makes misleading statements to those supposedly served by its contracts and contractor.

  On February 22, the UN said “the UNICEF and DC-1 cafeterias will close to allow renovation work to take place. Both cafeterias will be closed from 3 p.m. on Thursday 21 February 2013 and will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Friday 15 March 2013.”

  On March 14, the UN announced “Due to unforeseen delays in the renovation work being carried out in the UNICEF and UNDC-1 cafeterias, both facilities will remain closed until 8 April 2013.”

  On April 5, the UN said, “Due to unforeseen delays in the renovation work being carried out in the UNICEF and UNDC-1 cafeterias, both facilities will remain closed until further notice.”

  And so it goes at the UN. Meanwhile, underground, not only is parking shrinking, but the UN Garage Administration is openly telling people they are park wherever they want: “Garage Administration will again allow, when the garage is at full capacity, vehicles to park in areas not normally designated for parking.” Ah, egress..

  Again, is it any wonder this mis-run UN can't solve world problems, even adds to them? Watch this site.

UN Admits Defects in Fire Escape of Albano Building, Inspector on Way, Cafeterias Out

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 20 – The UN admits that at its rented Albano Building on 46 Street, a combination of ongoing vibration from demolition next door and “defective conditions” resulted in UN staff being banned from the fire tower stair last week.

  As Inner City Press exclusively reported yesterday based on complaints to it be UN staff, that would violate New York City laws. The UN on Wednesday afternoon told Inner City Press, “a building inspector from the City will visit the site accordingly.”

  As whistleblowers told Inner City Press, “on Friday, February 15 vibrations from the demolition of a building next to the Albano were so bad that they were told that the emergency stairs on that side would not be used for any purpose. 

"UN staff were made to keep working on the building on Friday. And even after the three day weekend, on Tuesday February 19, they were told that that stairway should only be used in case of a 'serious emergency.'”

   Inner City Press published that account on February 19, and at the noon briefing on February 20 asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky about it. He said he would look into it; his office Wednesday afternoon provided the following:

Subject: Your question on the Albano building
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 4:03 PM
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

On 13 February the United Nations Facilities Management Service (FMS) and the Albano building management and owner, REIT, instructed structural engineer URS to inspect the fire tower stair landing inside the building. This followed reports of falling concrete from the underside edge on the 4th floor that appears to have occurred during demolition activities in an adjacent building.

All landings were examined by REIT and URS, and any defective conditions found, such as concrete patches which could become loose, were addressed by REIT maintenance staff. No other safety concerns were noted. At this point in time, the stairway is safe and open for use.

In light of the tenant concerns, REIT will inspect the stairway on a weekly basis going forward, and if any changed conditions are noted, REIT will contact URS for re-inspection and appropriate action.

Vibrations from the demolition and construction activity in the adjacent building are continually being monitored. The vibration data for the day of the incident were sent to URS for review and were found to be within acceptable parameters. It is noted that REIT will undertake a project to renovate the building façade planning to start in spring and be completed this year. This project will include renovation of the stairway.

The demolition contractor performing the work in the adjacent building has also agreed to provide documentation on the safety of their ongoing operation to REIT.

It is also noted that the United Nations Albano Building staff representative placed a complaint with the New York City 311 Office. A building inspector from the City will visit the site accordingly.

 Watch this site.

Footnote: in other working conditions news, not only has the UN closed its Coffee Shop under the General Assembly, long before the GA building closes down for renovation.

 Now the cafeterias in both UNICEF and UNDC in the DC-1 building will close tomorrow “Thursday 21 February 2013 and will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Friday 15 March 2013. The Main Cafeteria at the Secretariat Building will remain open to provide food service to staff” -- but only from 8:30 to 3 pm, much shorter hours than before the UN was “fixed.” 

 What is happening to the UN? And how it treats its staff and those who work here? Watch this site.

Slip and Fall in UN Cafeteria Amid Layoffs & GA Coffee Shop Closure, No X-Ray Since Super Storm Sandy

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, February 6 – The UN cafeteria was in an uproar on Wednesday after one woman then another slipped on a negligently wet floor and was injured.

  The first faller, a journalist member of the Free UN Coalition for Access, was helped by UN Security and the line, largely Spanish speaking staff of the UN contractor, Aramark. They called and exclusively told Inner City Press that their new manager, Gene Hood, disappeared into his office after the slip and fall.

 Previous manager Ron and his young Events colleague were fired or laid off. Several Aramark employees, seeing lay offs in their future, asked Inner City Press when it arrived on the scene, with the floor still wet, “When are they re-opening the fourth floor” Delegates Dining Room?

  At the February 5 UN noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky:

Inner City Press: a decision was made on Friday that closed the coffee shop underneath the General Assembly. And so, obviously the workers were somewhat concerned that they can no longer work there. But it led to the question, when is in fact the GA building going to be closed for renovations? Was this closed on Friday because of that or is it not until May, as some people say, and if so, why did the contractor Aramark stop providing this service and also employing the workers?

Spokesperson Nesirky: I don’t have anything for you. You would need to speak to the contractor directly yourself if you wish to. If I hear anything further on that I will let you know. With regard to the renovation of the General Assembly and that whole area, I’d have to check with the Capital Master Plan people because I do not have that at hand, okay? Yes?

  The Capital Master Plan's genial spokesman Werner Schmidt has described to Inner City Press how the General Assembly will be moved to Conference Room 2 and the ECOSOC chamber in the North Lawn building.

  But he said he cannot answer for the contractor Aramark, including about staff complaints about the cessation of hot food service in the DC-1 building.

  Who signed and oversees this contract with Aramark? How can they treat workers this way, right in the UN building?

  When the FUNCA member who fell was finally helped into a wheel chair she was told that “because of Hurricane Sandy,” the UN Medical Service can no longer do X-rays.So where were they taking her, and for what? 

  The issue, of course, is immunity. No matter how negligent things get at the UN, can anyone sue? Watch this site.