"The permanent interpreters in the United Nations Office at Geneva are concerned at reports that interpreter workloads have been called into question in the course of the current AIIC/CCAQ negotiations.

"As you are aware, the established workloads for all interpreters employed by the United Nations, both freelance and permanent, were dictated by health considerations. They evolved under the influence of medical studies, reports by the Joint Advisory Committee, the Joint Inspection Unit and the UN Medical Service, and received confirmation in subsequent resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly.

"The strength of feeling among permanent interpreters on this issue stems from our service’s bitter experience with the conditions that existed prior to the 1974 Agreement, which were demoralising and detrimental to the health and performance of the staff.

"We therefore strongly support the AIIC negotiating delegation in its commitment to the maintenance of the established workloads, which were adopted specifically to ensure high professional standards, together with the physical and mental well-being of interpreters."