United Nations: It was a virtual "food riot" at the United Nations cafeterias when workers went on a whirlwind strike and left their workstations.

Hungry patrons, including diplomats and staff members, helped themselves to everything in sight, even silverware. Some who had fridges in their offices stuffed them with enough food to last a few days.

Even the bar in the diplomatic lounge was not spared and diplomats and others helped themselves to the liquor with no one to prevent the "looting" or charge money.

Left stranded were Secretary General Kofi Annan and members of the Security Council who were holding their private monthly luncheon in the delegates' dining room. They were served only the main course and left to fend for themselves desserts and coffee. There was no one to clear the tables.

A food contractor's official estimated that food worth $ 7000 to $ 9000 may have been "looted" on May 3, and that excludes the "raid" on the delegates' lounge's bar.

The trouble started when the outgoing food contractor informed workers that their vacation pay, which had not been cleared till May 2, would be the responsibility of the new contractor and the latter said it would not honour that.

The Restaurants Associates, which had the contract for running UN canteens and cafeterias for the last 17 years, lost their bid to Aramark Corporation, the largest food service company in the United States, in March.

May 2 was the last day of the Restaurants Associates contract. The new contractor starts work on May 5.

Later, the new contractor came to an understanding with the workers' union. It expects things to be back to normal by May 5.

PTI