Union Opposes Outsourcing
Except this time, the employer is the United Nations:
The U.N. Staff Union handed Secretary-General Kofi Annan an overwhelming vote of no-confidence Thursday over his plans to overhaul United Nations' operations, the latest in a string of setbacks for the leader.
The union, representing over 5,000 staff at U.N. headquarters, said it was dismayed at many proposals in Annan's blueprint, especially the call to consider outsourcing a variety of U.N. services from translations to billing....
The management overhaul won initial support from the United States and the European Union. But Annan and his senior team faced strong objections from U.N. staff, especially about outsourcing and job security, at a raucous and contentious meeting Tuesday afternoon.
The Staff Union vote of no-confidence, however, does not affect the status of the reforms. The key body for the fate of the reform effort is the 191-member General Assembly.
So how will the General Assembly vote? I turn to my source for all things governmental, Dave Barry (from Dave Barry Slept Here):
The General Assembly...is, in the generous spirit of the U.N. Charter, open to just about every little dirtbag nation in the world. It has no power. Its functions are to: (1) Have formal receptions; (2) Listen to the Grateful Dead on headphones; and (3) Denounce Israel for everything, including sunspots.
So it's fairly obvious that the vote on Annan's reforms will depend upon which side of the issue will hurt Israel the most. Would Israel be hurt the most by embracing reform, or would it be hurt the most by supporting labor unions?
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