MEETS THREAT TO PEACE IN ROME
ROME ~- The United Nations, which is dedicated to maintaining peace and democratic rights in all parts of the globe, sometimes has difficulty preserving these ideals in its own staff. However, it has learned to handle some sticky problems, as a recent case here has demonstrated,
In Italy, “inflation has undermined the purchasing power of everyone dependent on wages. The local staff of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization found they were not immune to this despite the glamorous nature of their work, To put it crudely, the shrinking lira would no longer stretch to cover the family budget. So, in polite. and civilized ways, in.accordance with their job. train-
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ing, they began calling the attention of United Nations officials to their plight.
The response was most chilly. In fact the Director-General didntt act much different from any boss who feels that in this world the stockholders always come first,
In Italy it happens to be a widespread custom among people dependent on wages to seek help in such a situation from a union, An area that is unorganized -- like the staff of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization -- is considered abnormal; in the Italian labor movement it is even considered morally commendable to try to remedy the situation forthwith.
Staff member Sirio Di Giuliomaria responded in the Italian way. He worked actively to impress on the United Nations brass the fact that the staff needed a 20% wage boost,
The UN brass did not. like this, Unionism in the staff? It smelled of gunpowder, revolution and Communism! . oo
But Di Giuliomaria refused to concede. In fact he had the temerity to write a round-robin letter to members of the staff, making some proposals for the next meeting when the question \ was bo come up again.
Worse still, the dared to put the following down in writing: "As for me, I am considering the idea of joining one of the unions. existing at present in Italy and asking that organization to. look after my interests. -."
This showed the brass what was “up. Nothing less than a deteriorating situation, If permitted to drift, it might worsen into a crisis requiring the blue helmets!
At once, troublemaker Sirio Di Giuliomaria was given a taste of the famous United Nations democracy and know-how in meeting a threat to the peace. He was fired, And the notice specified "summarily," ee
The charges, besides "serious misconduct," were "lack of discipline and insubordination" plus "gross disrespect and impertinence to the Director-General,"
That should be proof enough of the capacity of the United - Nations to measure up to the ugliest of challenges -- even the grave possibility that its own staff members might join a union.
Directeur-Gérant: Pierre FRANK. | . 1'éditeur)..