Building Contracts Have Minority Hiring Clauses

Harvard has signed two construction contracts-one for the School of Education's Gutman Library, the other for an extension to Paine Hall-which require the builder to hire between 19 and 23 per cent of his workers from minority groups.

Clifford L. Alexander '55, who was appointed by the Corporation last month to develop the hiring program and who organized the two contracts, said that to his knowledge this is the first time minority hiring clauses have appeared in a contract anywhere in the nation.

The Jackson Construction Company, /which was awarded both contracts, will employ a total of about 200 workers on the sites.

OBU Criticizes

The Organization for Black Unity (OBU), which occupied University Hall twice in December to protest University hiring practices, last night said it was "dissatisfied with Harvard's latest response to black students' efforts to change its minority hiring policy."

OBU said the latest actions are "Insignificant" for the following reasons:

Harvard has given no assurances that the policy said to be defined in the contracts will be pursued in issuing further contracts;

The contracts deal with less than one-twentieth of the construction funds for the coming year, constituting only $5 million out of more than $60 million of planned constructions;

Harvard's "appearance of acting in good faith" directly contradicts the disciplinary procedures held against black students earlier in January.

Part of Contract

In announcing the contracts at a news conference yesterday, Alexander repeatedly stressed that the minority hiring clauses were parts of the actual contracts. He said that this constituted more effective action than similar noncontractual agreements designed to promote minority hiring.

"If [minority hiring] is left to the good wishes or goodwill of a city, it will not be accomplished," Alexander said. "This is in writing-signed, sealed and delivered today."

The 19 to 23 per cent figures represent what the contractor feels is possible in the Boston-Cambridge area labor market. If the contractor cannot find enough minority workers to meet the quotas called for in the contracts, Harvard will find workers on its own.

Archibald Cox '34, Samuel Williston Professor of Law, said that in the event the contractor could not find enough workers, "we would work in what ways we could with the community agencies."