US protests pay raise for UN workers

[The Northerner]

UNITED NATIONS — The United States on Monday called on the United Nations to reverse a pay raise for thousands of UN staff in New York, at a time when many governments are chopping spending.

The United States is "deeply concerned" over an increase of nearly three percent given to about 4,800 international staff based at the UN headquarters in New York, said a US envoy.

The envoy, Joseph Torsella, has written to the International Civil Service Commission, which decides wages and conditions for UN agencies, to demand that the award be reversed.

"Such a raise is inappropriate at this time of global austerity, when member state governments everywhere are implementing drastic austerity measures such as layoffs, service reductions, revenue increases and reductions in pay and benefits for civil servants," said Torsella.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iuEDLtkFB503zACUmjkI1aVAAjsw

[CelticThunder]

1. Unfuckingbelievable.

[MilesColtrane]

2. Got a link that I don't have to sign in to Google to read?

[SheilaT]

3. Yep. No one should get raises.

Wait. That only applies to the working drones. Managers and executives need to get raises, but not the peasants.

I work at a hospital. My department has not gotten raises for a couple of years. Meanwhile, the CEO got a 40% raise from 2008 to 2009, and oddly enough, the figures for 2010 (which ended eight months ago) aren't available.

[indurancevile]

4. 40%? they're shameless these days. seriously shameless.