May Day UN Staff Demonstration: "UN Staff Are Not a Commodity - We Stand for Humanity"

This May Day, PSI joined our affiliates - the ILO Staff Union and UNOG Staff Union - and federations CCISUA, FICSA to gather in front of the UN headquarters in Geneva to raise awareness about their situation under the slogan "UN Staff Are Not a Commodity - We Stand for Humanity".

The demonstration comes at a critical time as UN organizations face unprecedented budget cuts and staff reductions. With some agencies preparing to reduce their workforce by up to 30%, thousands of dedicated humanitarian workers are at risk of losing their positions.

Impact Across UN Agencies

  • The ILO has already eliminated nearly 1 in 10 positions

  • UNICEF is facing a 20% budget reduction

  • WFP and UNHCR are preparing for workforce reductions of up to 30%

  • Other agencies including IOM, OCHA, WHO, and UNAIDS are also affected

As PSI General Secretary Daniel Bertossa emphasizes, "The UN and multilateral system are increasingly important in today's unstable world. These funding and staffing cuts put global peace and security at risk. Many of these highly skilled workers lack basic workers' rights and social protections, operating on precarious contracts while serving humanity's most vulnerable."

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This May Day, PSI joined our affiliates - the ILO Staff Union and UNOG Staff Union - and federations CCISUA, FICSA to gather in front of the UN headquarters in Geneva to raise awareness about their situation under the slogan "UN Staff Are Not a Commodity - We Stand for Humanity".

May Day UN Staff Demonstration: "UN Staff Are Not a Commodity - We Stand for Humanity"