600 MIT Workers Walk Out in Strike For Higher Wages

Six hundred maintenance and custodial employees of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology went on strike for higher wages Thursday morning.

The workers, members of local 254 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), voted to strike Wednesday night after rejecting MIT's offer of two-year contracts with 7.5 per cent pay increases in each year.

None of Harvard's employees are members of the SEIU, but the University's 940 maintenance and custodial employees are in two unions whose contracts with Harvard expire this fall, with negotiations on both contracts beginning this month.

Good Faith?

In a strongly-worded statement last week, Edward T. Sullivan, president of local 254, charged MIT with refusing to bargain in good faith with its workers.

"We are not serfs...we are not slaves..." Sullivan wrote.

Hundreds of the striking workers picketed in front of MIT buildings last week.

John M. Wynne, MIT's vice president for administration and personnel, said in a memorandum last week that MIT will "continue to carry on all activities that can be conducted safely" during the strike.

MIT last week set up an "emergency closing" telephone number that gives round-the-clock recorded information on the strike. The message last night was, "The Institute is open. Regular class schedules will be in effect Monday, and all employees are expected to report for work as usual."

The Institute has temporarily suspended mail pickup and delivery as a result of the strike, stopped all outgoing and most incoming shipping and suspended all custodial and cleaning services.

Sullivan and Wynne were unavailable for comment yesterday.