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Portuguese Antonio Guterres has been Secretary General of the United Nations since 2017. Image: keystone
Secret video recording of UN chief Guterres surprises Geneva interns
After Geneva’s yes to the world’s highest minimum wage, frustrated UN employees insist on a fair wage. But Secretary General Antonio Guterres surprised employees with an explosive statement in a secret video recording.
The result made headlines around the world, and with incredulous amazement: on the last Sunday of the September 27 vote, a clear majority of the Geneva electorate said yes to a minimum wage of CHF 23 in the canton. State Councilor Mauro Poggia was even able to inform the US broadcaster CNN that about six percent of employees in the canton will benefit from the new law. Specifically, there are 30,000 people.
However, not everyone benefits. The most prestigious organization in Geneva, the United Nations (UN), is not affected by the amendment to the law. Because they have their own international rules that are not tied to those of the host country or the canton. Above all, the many interns in the UN service suffer from this.
Because most UN internships are unpaid, even in Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ main department. In other UN agencies, such as the children’s aid organization Unicef or the World Health Organization (WHO), sometimes there are salaries that are not enough to earn a living.
“We will write a letter to Ignazio Cassis”
The Geneva Interns Association now awaits the moment. “The decision on how interns are paid for their work is made by a UN committee at New York headquarters in coordination with all member countries,” says Albert Barseghyan, a spokesman for the group. “But Geneva’s yes to the minimum wage gives us a strong argument in favor of our position.”
Now an attempt will be made to build on the momentum and reach out to Swiss parliamentarians and the Swiss UN embassy for more support, says Barseghyan. “We will also write a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis, to emphasize our demand for a fair wage.”
The UN is committed to human rights, equality and good social conditions throughout the world. But it does not support the interns’ demand for a fair wage. Image: keystone
The 23 francs per hour serves mainly as a reference to the high cost of living in the city of the Rhône. According to a recent study, this is the tenth in the ranking of the most expensive cities in the world. The real demand for college graduates is much deeper.
“We only demand the absolute minimum of the poverty line,” says Barseghyan. And according to the Canton of Geneva, this is CHF 2,600 per month. “That is what it takes to survive in Geneva.”
Disadvantaged students from poorer countries
Frustrated college graduates expect little support from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The United Nations chief director surprised employees at an internal staff event in December. Journalists were not allowed.
However, “Switzerland at the weekend” is in possession of an unpublished video recording in which Guterres says:
Such a statement by the top UN director is simply shockingly unacceptable, says Barseghyan. “His personal opinion completely contradicts the values of the UN and what the UN preaches regarding fair pay.”
Guterres admits that this approach creates an unfair situation. Because only people from rich countries could afford to work as an intern. “People in poor countries, however, don’t.” Therefore, one will look at the subject again.
Alone: the UN had already announced improvement measures in a report in 2009. Of the 75 current interns in Guterres department, more than half come from the five western countries of France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and the United States.
It is not the first time that UN interns have criticized their employer. In 2015, the message from 22-year-old David Hyde from New Zealand caused an international stir, that he could not afford to stay in expensive Geneva and therefore had to sleep in a tent.
“There was a lot of outrage at the time, but sadly not much has changed since then,” says Barseghyan. It holds Switzerland responsible. “As the host of the UN, she in particular should do more to support our concerns and convince other member states. After all, she is paying the UN millions of francs to renovate its offices in Geneva.”
They already have the support of more socialist countries such as France or Africa. “But sadly, Switzerland is somewhat neutral on this matter.”
Hypocritical behavior of the UN against the outside world
This newspaper was able to speak with several active and former UN interns and employees. They all paint an equally negative picture. The UN enjoys a good reputation among the general public as an organization that campaigns for human rights, equality and fair pay.
“But sometimes he treats his own employees miserably,” says one American. In fact, it is common for highly qualified university graduates to move from one unpaid internship to the next. “Often there are three, four or even more,” says the former intern.
The UN exploits supply and demand. Because it receives tons of requests from idealists with prestigious university degrees who want to contribute to a better world with their work at the UN. Why pay when it’s free, says the 75-year-old organization.
“His behavior as a do-gooder to the outside world is hypocritical in view of the way he deals with his employees,” says one former intern.
16 employment contracts in 6 years, and soon to Uber?
It can take years to land one of those coveted permanent positions. After several internships, many of them become so-called consultants. The UN feeds on this with contracts that are limited to a few months. That continues until many, at some point, abandon their dream of the UN and switch to the private sector. There is also no AHV or unemployment benefit.
“In six years I had 16 internship and consulting contracts and was under constant pressure to find a new job,” says a former employee. This had a strong effect on her psyche. “My cardiologist even told me that, in view of the economic uncertainties, he advised against everyone working in the UN system.”
And there are more obstacles waiting. A few days ago, the UN staff association warned against management’s internal plans to launch Uber-style contracts in the future. That means: The terms of the contract and wages would come under even greater pressure.
The chosen ones who manage to obtain a permanent position, on the other hand, are rewarded handsomely. There are also no taxes, but the residence permit is strictly linked to a UN agency. So if someone works in Geneva for ten or twenty years and loses their job, they are threatened with expulsion from Switzerland.
But why hasn’t anything changed at least for the interns? Albert Barseghyan of the Geneva Interns Association refers to the high fluctuation between interns: “Since many of them are constantly changing jobs or are unemployed and have to leave the country, it is difficult to apply regular and active pressure “. There are currently almost 30 active members and 300 passive members. Barseghyan also represents the “Fair Internship Initiative”, which also advocates for better internship conditions at the UN.
UN Secretary General shifts responsibility
“Switzerland over the weekend” faced the UN with criticism. However, a spokeswoman for the UN Secretariat does not want to comment on Antonio Guterres’ statements at the staff event and his vote for unpaid internships.
She emphasizes that internships are about learning something. And the Secretary General cannot decide whether to pay them or not. This is the responsibility of the member states. Furthermore, an attempt is made to alleviate the financial burden on interns by allowing them to eat cheaper or sometimes free in the cafeteria.
These arguments will hardly change the fact that on February 20, as every year, numerous interns will strike in front of the proud UN building at the Place des Nations in Geneva to fight for fair working conditions. It is the Day of Social Justice, a motto with which the UN must befriend.
