UN Confirms Layoff Letters Despite Libya Plan, Nothing on Aramark Layoffs, UMOJA, Staff Union Elections

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, December 2 -- The UN has confirmed to Inner City Press that it has sent layoff notices (or "your post does not exist" letters, in UN-ese) to Department of Safety and Security staff members. In this month of December, can the jobs be saved?

  Earlier today, after receiving numerous complaints, Inner City Press made several inquiries and published a story about the layoffs, or ten officers who received letters, and asked why they couldn't for example be placed in the new security mission in Libya.

  After publishing that exclusive first story, at the day's noon briefing, Inner City Press put the question to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Martin Nesirky. He said his office was already looking into it. And later, this arrived, which we publish in full:

Subject: Your question on UN Security personnel
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Mon, Dec 2, 2013 at 1:19 PM
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

Regarding your question at noon about security posts, the Spokesperson has the following to say:

The security posts in question are posts that were temporarily created to support the Capital Master Plan (CMP). The “associated costs” for the CMP, which is the funding source for these temporary posts, ends on 31 December 2013.

However, over the last 18 months, the Organization has put a great deal of effort into saving as many jobs as possible for these affected staff members. This has included finding posts within the Security and Safety Service at the UN Headquarters, as well as other UN security services globally, General Service posts, and field assignments. Of the 68 officers considered in the temporary hiring associated with the Capital Master Plan, there are 10 officers remaining on the list for placement.

  Again we note this: a UN Security person working in New York on a G4 visa, if they took the post to protect the UN Mission in Libya, their family would have to leave the US in thirty days. This is also the UN's hammer over whistleblowers.

  Meanwhile, inside the UN itself, for weeks those working in the Delegates' Dining Room have been asking why their place of work, run by the contractor Aramark, will close on December and not re-open. Aramark had been reducing services, cutting the hours of the staff cafeteria for example, with the UN saying nothing.

  When Inner City Press has asked about the enforced layoffs by Aramark of workers in the UN, the UN has shifted from saying it cares about the principles preached by the International Labor Organization to saying this is entirely up to the contractor -- a defense used then rejected by apparel makers like Levis, the Gap and Nikes. But not the UN.

  On November 29, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's top two spokespeople:

"Please confirm or deny that Aramark will cease mid-day service (and cut back on workers) in the Delegates Dining Room from December 20 on, and explain the UN's role in reduction of service and employment by Aramark, and when their contract with the UN will expire."

  So far no answer, including to other questions including these two, on labor relations and UMOJA/ waste at the UN:

"With the UN Staff Union election upcoming and dispute ranging from term limits to how voters are grouped and accredited, please describe the role of the UN and OHRM, including in light of a statement by ASG Pollard that 'OHRM had been in contact with Mr. Auda, Chairman of the Polling Officers, continually between 7 October when the second list of staff (as vetted by EOs was transmitted to him) and 28 October, 2013; and

"With regard to UMOJA, please respond to the (whistleblowers') critique that the project now uses 'Nova to assign expenses retroactively, for many years; it costs in fact much more than $200,000 $ only to capture the data."

Watch this site.

  

Exclusive: As UN Moves to Layoff Security Despite New Libya Plan & to Close Aramark Dining Room, of Labor Pains, Union Elections and UMOJA

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, December 2 -- Even at the UN it's the holiday season, but that hasn't stopped officials at the world body from announcing and imposing layoffs.

  Monday morning as Inner City Press entered to cover the first day of France's Security Council presidency, click here for that, it was informed that the UN had chosen this day to send letters to Security personnel, technically hired for the Capital Master Plan renovation, that they stand to be laid off.

  The timing is more than a little strange, coming soon after the Security Council approved a plan by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to send 200 security personnel to Libya, to protect the UN mission there. Inner City Press was the first to report on the approval and will have more on this.

  For now we note this: a UN Security person working in New York on a G4 visa, if they took the post to protect the UN Mission in Libya, their family would have to leave the US in thirty days. This is also the UN's hammer over whisteblowers.

  Meanwhile, inside the UN itself, for weeks those working in the Delegates' Dining Room have been asking why their place of work, run by the contractor Aramark, will close on December and not re-open. Aramark had been reducing services, cutting the hours of the staff cafeteria for example, with the UN saying nothing.

  When Inner City Press has asked about the enforced layoffs by Aramark of workers in the UN, the UN has shifted from saying it cares about the principles preached by the International Labor Organization to saying this is entirely up to the contractor -- a defense used then rejected by apparel makers like Levis, the Gap and Nikes. But not the UN.

  On November 29, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's top two spokespeople:

"Please confirm or deny that Aramark will cease mid-day service (and cut back on workers) in the Delegates Dining Room from December 20 on, and explain the UN's role in reduction of service and employment by Aramark, and when their contract with the UN will expire."

  So far no answer, including to other questions including these two, on labor relations and UMOJA/ waste at the UN:

"With the UN Staff Union election upcoming and dispute ranging from term limits to how voters are grouped and accredited, please describe the role of the UN and OHRM, including in light of a statement by ASG Pollard that 'OHRM had been in contact with Mr. Auda, Chairman of the Polling Officers, continually between 7 October when the second list of staff (as vetted by EOs was transmitted to him) and 28 October, 2013; and

"With regard to UMOJA, please respond to the (whistleblowers') critique that the project now uses 'Nova to assign expenses retroactively, for many years; it costs in fact much more than $200,000 $ only to capture the data."

Watch this site.

   

At UN, PGA John Ashe's Security Council Reform Group of Six Slammed by Italy for UfC, Bahrain for Arab Group, Review Demanded

By Matthew Russell Lee, Follow up on exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, October 31 -- The new UN Security Council reform advisory group picked by General Assembly President John Ashe, on which Inner City Press exclusively reported a week ago, has now been criticized in writing by Italy's Mission to the UN, on behalf of the Uniting for Consensus grouping.  Bahrain has also chimed in, for the Arab Group, here.

   Inner City Press is publishing the letter, here.

  The advisory group of six has three European countries -- Belgium, Liechtenstein and San Marino -- as well as Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone and G4 member Brazil. 

  At the Security Council's "Working Methods" session this week, Brazil and Germany both said the group would come up with a text to be the basis of inter-governmental negotiations. Click here for Inner City Press report. This made UfC and other member states more angry.

  The UfC letter, signed by Italian ambassador Sebastiano Cardi, concludes that "it is important that the entire membership has the opportunity to review and agree on the composition and terms of reference of the group." It asserts that Ashe's naming of the group violated "Decision 62/557, as well as subsequent decisions of the General Assembly."

  After Inner City Press' first exclusive article, Ashe's spokesperson Afaf Konja explained to the Press that his initial letter hadn't gone onto the UN's website until Inner City Press published it due to an oversight; she insisted that Uniting for Consensus had been consulted with. She wrote:

"On the letter not being up immediately on the PGA website: As openly disclosed, it was a pure administrative lapse which has already been addressed to ensure a more streamlined and full-proof process.

"On the criticism you refer to as 'Euro-top heavy': As explained, the selection is not based on geographic criteria. It weighs more on the experience of nations in peace-building, and an openness to see beyond differences. Essentially, an advisory group that can help see the process forward.

"Please note that the President of the General Assembly met with the UFC group, at their request. They expressed their concerns and they were heard. Moreover, the advisory group chosen is not a negotiated group."

But now, this letter. And Bahrain's for the Arab Group, saying the Advisory Group can't replace the process.  Watch this site.

   

Small 5 Have Support Ranging from S. Africa to Norway But May Withdraw

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 16, updated 10:50 am -- As Permanent Representatives poured into the General Assembly on Wednesday morning for the expected fight on the Small Five's draft resolution recommending changes to the Security Council's working methods, Inner City Press began taking an informal poll.

South Africa's Permanent Representative Baso Sangqu expressed support for the S5, as did for example Norway and G-4 member Japan.

Others in the UfC said it is "too important an issue" to divide the membership, and urged withdrawal of the proposal, citing the legal opinion letter of Ban Ki-moon's reclusive top lawyer Patricia O'Brien, which Inner City Press obtained and put online yesterday.

After that story, some in UfC pointed out to Inner City Press that even though the Permanent Five wanted that opinion from O'Brien, so did they, and that there are "some Davids" in the UfC, not only the P5 Goliaths.

In fact, the P5 was advised to take a backseat or less visible role, but chose not to. Likewise the P5 were offered an informal process of conferring on working methods, a large Latin country says, but the P5 rejected it.

Still, by 10:15 am Permanent Representatives from Africa and Latin America emerged and told Inenr City Press the buzz is that the Small Five would give a speech and withdraw their proposal.

If not, a UfC Perm Rep told Inner City Press, there would be a no-action motion, and if that failed, a push by the Small Five to lower the requirement to 50% from the O'Brien dictated two-thirds. 

Update of 10:50 am -- a Small Five Permanent Representative who had been fiery on Tuesday now tells Inner City Press, we are going to meet with the PGA. O'Brien's letter sure to figure. Meanwhile there's talk of the African Group asking for a deferral. Watch this site.

Update of 11:12 am -- a Small Five dip has said they will withdraw, not just defer. Still no formal confirmation.

Update of 11:50 am - after a long speech, live Tweeted here, the Swiss Perm Rep said "S5 withdraw" the resolution. Fin.

As Finns Vie for SC, Small 5 Talk Reform & Vote, Colonial Echo in African Trip

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 2, updated -- The UN Security Council need to be reformed - but there is little agreement as to how or when. In the interim countries continue to vie for their two years on the Council. 

 

  All this was on display on May 2 at the UN, when the so-called Small Five held a session in the General Assembly, while Council candidate for 2013-14 Finland showed off its peacekeeping and even chocolates in the Kuwaiti Boat area between the Council and GA.

  Costa Rica, Jordan, Liechtenstein, Singapore and Switzerland make up the Small Five. Unlike the G4, UFC and L69 the Small Five is pushing to reform the Council's "working methods," with a resolution making 21 reform points. 

 

  These include no vetoes of actions aimed at preventing or ending genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, given the General Assembly a greater role in selecting the Secretary General, and improving due process in sanctions lists.

  A proponent Permanent Representative told Inner City Press on Wednesday that it is 90% sure that this resolution will be put to a vote on May 16, saying it requires only 50%. Others say two-third should be required.

Update of 4:07 pm - the meeting is closed, but sources tell Inner City Press Canada is proposing a vote on whether 2/3 should be required. A vote about a vote. Meanwhile a reader replies about Finland's chocolate "Martti Bar," see below, that one shouldn't eat a Nobel Peace Prize winner...

  While some say to call a vote is good -- "enough talk, let's vote" -- others say it is jumping the gun. There are five points to reform, several Ambassadors told Inner City Press, and Working Methods is the last. They should hold off.

Update of 6:20 pm -- After speaking with three of the Small Five Permanent Representatives, Inner City Press gleens that a legal opinon will be sought from the President of the GA. If he says only 50% is needed, a member of UfC may call a vote to overrule the PGA -- a vote that would be simple majority. 

  The Small Five -- perhaps they should re-brand themselves the "Strategic"Five -- seem to acknowledge that obtaining 2/3 would be a stretch. So they hope for the ruling of 50%, and that it not be overturned. Opponents have different motives; some but not all take positions in support of one or more of the Permanent Five.  We will continue on this.

  Downstairs Finland's peacekeeping and chocolate display, with a loop of upbeat music and video clips of Martti Ahtisaari, is openly directly to getting elected to the Council in October. It's a rare contested race, with Australia and Luxembourg for two seats.

Australia's pitch is that yes it is WEOG -- Western European and Other Group, to you -- but it is also in Asia, bridging the gap.

  Finland, which gave Inner City Press a tour and, in full disclosure, a chocolate bar we'll call the Martti Bar, in the tradition of the Reggie (Jackson) bar given out at one point in Yankee Stadium, is that for a small non-aligned country they do a lot in mediation, even have a war crimes expert who worked in Libya in April 2012, Helena Ranta. We aim to cover Luxembourg's pitch when we can.

  Meanwhile as Azerbaijan takes over the Security Council presidency in May there is a trip to West Africa. Tellingly, each stop is co-sponsored by the former colonialist or sponsor, paired with an African country. 

 The Cote d'Ivoire leg will be led by colonialist France, along with Togo. The Sierra Leone stop will be co-led by the UK and South Africa. And the Liberia leg's by Morocco and the United States.

   Finland went to pains to point out that it never had colonies. Australia, while both funding and some say controlling a number of small island states, was itself a colony in a sense, and now claims to be the country with the highest rate of inter-racial marriage in the world. Again, we aim to cover Luxembourg's pitch, sure to involved peacebuilding, when we can. Watch this site.