U.S. calls for U.N. pay raise to be rescinded

Reuters ^ | August 30, 2011 | Patrick Worsnip

[george76]

The United States called on Monday for the rescinding of a nearly 3 percent cost of living pay raise to almost 5,000 U.N. employees in New York, saying it was inappropriate at a time of global austerity.

In a letter to the independent body that awarded the raise, senior U.S. diplomat Joseph Torsella said Washington "strongly objects" to the measure, which took effect on August 1 and covers around 4,800 U.N. international staff.

...

The United States pays 22 percent of the U.N. core budget. The Obama administration is accused by some Republicans in Congress of uncritically funding a body they say squanders money and sometimes acts contrary to U.S. interests.

While the administration has rejected calls to have its contributions to the U.N. budget made voluntary instead of compulsory, it is keen to show critics that it will not tolerate wasteful spending by the United Nations.

[Sacajaweau]

We pay 22% of the UN budget......AND 90% OF ANY MISSIONS.

[WOBBLY BOB]

[ken21]

come to think of it,

they can lower u.s. congressional and u.s. senate salaries by half.

[Leaning Right]

The title of the article should be:

U.S. calls for U.N. to be rescinded

[101voodoo]

Simple solution.

Determine cost of 3% pay raises. Deduct same amount from the 22% we pay these sponges each year as dues.

Problem solved.

[SES1066]

I remember the Sadam Hussein era [1995-2004] "Oil for Food" that 'traded' Iraqi Oil for food so that the common Iraqi population would not get hurt by the UN Sanctions on the Sadam regime. It was run by the UN and ended up, by all unbiased accounts, of helping the Hussein oligarchy, the UN 'fixers' and French, Russian and Chinese bureaucrats and oil companies like the French Elf. The Cypriot career UN head of the operation destroyed much of the paperwork on the program ahead of a corruption investigation.

What was demonstrated by this single corrupt program is that the UN manages and totally obscures its own books without any outside or unbiased auditor. My personal suggestion is this; if the UN wants ANY further US support, it will be required to open it's accounts to full scrutiny. Upon the sure refusal of this mild suggestion, we terminate our membership and give them the eviction notice posthaste!

[ken5050]

Most don’t know it, but US citizens who work for the UN are reimbursed for whatever they pay in US income taxes..