Amid ageist firings, WFP union and staff association turn blind eye

 ROME – WFP’s labor union and staff association representatives are doing nothing to prevent the mass axeing of staff and consultants in the UN agency's Communications division, where director Michele Quintaglie tells staffers in their 50s they must go to make way for younger people, WFP sources say.

 The UN agency’s ombudsman appointed from FAO where she made daring speeches calling for change is seen as only defending management at WFP in the time honoured tradition of whitewashing by venal oversight honchos, the sources add. ;As at FAO’s troubled evaluation division, Ms Quintaglie uses dubious performance reviews to pave the way for getting rid of anyone who is not sufficiently obsequious.

Quintaglie was hired from the private sector on the recommendation of former Comms chief Branda Barton, 63, who was brought back from retirement as a consultant last year to replace Caroline den Dulk, who was canned by chief of staff Meghan Latcovich within a month of the former US Navy pilot joining WFP, the sources added.

  Insiders say the Communications Division at WFP has long been an unhappy ship. Barton was transferred to the Philippines as WFP country director after she was reported for alleged harassment of staff in Rome, the sources said.

 jf