Volkswacht Bodensee - Concerns at ILO over expected appointment of close Trump advisor

Several well-informed sources told AFP that Nels Nordquist, a former top economic advisor to the US president, would soon be named the ILO's deputy director-general -- a position usually held by a US national.

The organisation itself declined to comment.

But the expected appointment has caused unease in Geneva, after his wife Jennifer Nordquist -- also a former Trump advisor -- took up the role of deputy head of the World Trade Organization (WTO) last month, which is also headquartered in the Swiss city.

"We have many questions about the situation," Severine Deboos, head of the ILO staff union, told AFP.

"We are in a very particular situation with a Trump administration that has very firm positions on aspects at the heart of the ILO's mandate," she said, pointing among others to "the right to strike and the rights of migrant workers".

It was all the more perplexing, she said, that this was happening after the United States -- traditionally the agency's biggest donor -- halted its voluntary contributions, forcing the suspension of several ILO programmes.

"We are still dealing with the consequences."

- 'Very contested' -

Deboos also pointed to the Trump administration's "rather virulent positions" against the ILO in a memo published in August.

The document initially described the ILO as an organisation that "works to unionise foreign workers and punish US corporate interests abroad", although those words and a decision to cancel $107 million in funding to the agency later mysteriously vanished from the text.

The American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think-tank, has meanwhile listed the ILO among organisations that "do not support major US policies or priorities".

A source at the ILO, speaking on condition of anonymity because she was not authorised to comment publicly on the situation, confirmed to AFP that there was "real concern internally".

The appointment of someone "from the MAGA administration (was) very contested", she said, referring to Trump's Make America Great Again movement.

"There is a fear that there will be very direct consequences" on departments, the source said.

The concern also stems from the fact that the ILO, unlike most other UN agencies, only has one deputy director-general.

"We are looking for a balanced situation at ILO, in particular in key positions," a Geneva-based diplomatic source, who did not wish to be named, told AFP.

A number of other sources also said discussions were under way with the organisation about the expected appointment.

"For a scenario of a single, powerful DDG we seek assurances that the normative role of the ILO, (for instance on) labour standards, is strengthened", not weakened, the diplomatic source said.

- 'Influence peddling' -

The ILO plays an important role in setting rules and regulations. For example, it is working on regulating digital labour platforms with a view to adopting international standards next year, guaranteeing decent working conditions.

"Internally, we have been told there is no need for concern that the person comes with strong support from the Trump administration since they must, once in office, remain loyal to the organisation," an ILO official told AFP, requesting anonymity.

Concerns have also been raised about the United States lagging behind on its 2024 and 2025 ILO membership dues, with over $173 million unpaid.

"There is an expectation by member states that... the position comes with the country of origin having made its financial contribution," the diplomatic source said.

The United States had also failed to pay its WTO contributions for the same period, but the dues for 2024 have now been paid, following Jennifer Nordquist taking up her appointment in early October.

"Payment of mandatory contributions should not be made conditional on certain appointments," Deboos said.

"This opens the door to influence peddling" and "undermines the organisation's independence."

R.Fischer--VB