Labor Panel Declares BCMC Is B&G Union

The controversy which halted contract talks last fall between Harvard and 260 Buildings and Grounds maintenance men and which culminated in a strike at commencement is officiallly dead.

The Massachusetts Labor Relations Commission has ruled that the Boston Crafts Maintenance Council (AFL-CIO) is the "exclusive representative" of the B & G employees for purposes of collective bargaining with Harvard. A spokesman said last night that the University is ready to resume contract talks with the BCMC's negotiators as soon as they are prepared--probably some time this month.

Harvard suspended bargaining last fall when three union-the BCMC, the Buildings Services Employees International Local 54 (AFL-CIO), and an independent union--all claimed the right to represent the B&G workers.

The University refused to re-open talks until the State Labor Relations Commission held an election to determine which of the three unions the employees actually favored.

The election, won handily by BCMC, was July 20. According to its usual procedure, the Commission delayed making the results official to give all parties to the election a chance to protest any irregularities in the campaigning or the balloting. There were no protests