WTO staff claim trade exploitation

Dr Supachai supports his staffs' industrial action

Industrial action by staff over pay and resources at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has begun to affect its activities and could threaten the next round of talks.

"I don't think the organisation will grind to a halt, but the level output to which people are accustomed is severely reduced," Keith Rockwell, WTO spokesman told BBC News Online.

The WTO's total budget is smaller than the IMF's travel budget

Keith Rockwell
WTO spokesman

The 145 staff have not had a substantive wage rise in 12 years, and have only had an 8% increase in operational funding despite a 30% increase in their work load.

"It's not just pay and pensions, the total number of work hours has gone up dramatically in recent years while staffing and resource increases haven't kept pace," Mr Rockwell said.

The staff action means dispute settlement and other meetings, translation, media relations, computer maintenance and other services have all been disrupted.

Cut-price trade

Staff have accused "key members" of the budget committee of rejecting a 8% wage rise and the creation of 12 new positions as recommended by the director-general, Supachai Panichpakdi.

The WTO's funding is determined by its 144 members' level of trade, with the US being the biggest contributor, paying 15.7% of the budget or 22.3m Swiss francs, followed by Germany, Japan, UK and France.

"The WTO's total budget of 140m Swiss francs (£60.8m; $94m) is smaller than the IMF's travel budget," Mr Rockwell said.

An independent auditor commissioned by the WTO found that wage levels were on average 12% below other international organisations - including the United Nations - and recommended the 8% rise.

Management support

The work-to-rule action begun this week means staff are only working a nine-hour day, and includes an overtime ban.

"What's been asked been asked for by members has come direct from Mr Supachai (the WTO's director general) and he supports the staff in achieving parity with other organisations," Mr Rockwell said.

Staff complain that much of the work for the WTO's member states has been based on unpaid overtime.

Talks over cheap medicines for poor countries have not been affected, Mr Rockwell said.

Staff representatives have vowed to continue industrial action until they are give the necessary resources.