UAW Quits Union Campaign

After eight years of attempting to organize Harvard's support staff, the United Auto Workers (UAW) sent employees a letter yesterday announcing its withdrawal from the union campaign.

The UAW's departure from the organizing drive clears the way for the local group that rejected UAW parentage in a bitter confrontation in 1985, the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (HUCTW). Last January HUCTW, which has been calling for the UAW to bow out since the split, affiliated with another national parent, the American Federation of State, Country and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

"We have decided to step aside to permit AFSCME the opportunity to organize Harvard employees," said the UAW letter. "This was not an easy decision for our union but if it results in the unionization of Harvard clerical and technical employees, then it will have been the right thing to do."

UAW organizers would not comment yesterday.

The union, which has been the clear underdog in campus support since it broke with HUCTW, left the door open for its return. "If after a year [AFSCME] has been unable to win representation rights for Harvard employees, then the UAW will again respond to any requests to organize from Harvard employees," said the UAW letter.

HUCTW leader Kris Rondeau said she would not comment on the UAW retreat until it has been officially announced. But organizers at HUCTW headquarters on Winthrop St. celebrated the action.

Anne H. Taylor, special assistant to the vice president for administration and head of the University's antiunion efforts, said UAW's departure will have little impact on the University.

"The UAW's withdrawal will not make that much of a practical difference in the way we approach the campaign," said Taylor. "They were not a very significant player in the last six months; we were primarily faced with the AFSCME campaign."

"Frankly, I'm not suprised," said Taylor. "It surprised me they stayed in as long as they did.

The UAW's decision to leave was influenced by HUCTW's strengthened position, which stems from its affiliation with AFSCME. When HUCTW broke from UAW two years ago, HUCTW was left without the funds needed to pay its full-time organizers and to finance its campaign. AFSCME gave HUCTW a huge financial boost that accelerated its organizing momentum and enlarged its full-time staff.

Because the UAW and AFSCME are both members of the AFL-CIO, their competition at Harvard was a point of contention between the national groups.

Last May HUCTW garnered the support of the seven other unions at Harvard, in part to isolate the UAW. The other unions, which represent groups including the University's facilities maintenance workers, police and dining hall staff, joined HUCTW in the first-ever alliance of unions at Harvard.

Although neither HUCTW or UAW will reveal the number of supporters theyhave, campus attention has clearly favored HUCTW.While the majority of workers interviewed in thelast year had been contacted repeatedly by HUCTW,virtually none had been approached by the UAW andmany were not aware that the group was organizingon campus.

There had been doubts as to whether the UAW,which primarily represents a male, blue-collarconstituency, could adequately serve Harvard'smostly female support staff. About half ofAFSCME's 1.2 million members are women and theinternational union has pushed for nationalattention to pay equity and child care.

HUCTW backers have criticized the UAW forstaying at Harvard after the local effort rejectedit two years ago. The split was caused by adifference in organizing philosophy--HUCTW leaderssaid the UAW's national organization was musclingin on what should have been a mainly grassrootsdrive. When the UAW locked HUCTW leaders out ofthe organizing office, their six year affiliationended.

UAW leaders had pledged to stay in the battleuntil the union election, which is expected thisspring. A union must call an election and win thesupport of a majority of workers to gain formalrecognition as a bargaining unit, according tofederal law.

When the UAW first banded with HUCTW in 1979,the organizing effort was based in the MedicalSchool Area. In an election called by the UAW in1981, the union lost by a slim margin, gaining 47percent of the workers' support