A Chronology of Union Activity

1971: Workers in the Medical Area, led by District 65 of the Distributable Workers Union, begin efforts to organize the 700 secretaries and lab technicians in that area.

Fall 1974: District 65 submits its petition for an election with the regional branch of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The University contests the bargaining unit, saying that the union may not organize in one seperate area of the campus. The NLRB finds with Harvard.

May 1976: The NLRB agrees to review the decision made by its regional board concerning the size of the bargaining unit.

May 13, 1977: The NLRB rules that the union may hold its election in the Medical Area. Both the University and the union push for a quick election early in June.

June 1977: District 65 loses its first election in the Medical Area, with 436 workers opposed to the union, and 346 supporting it.

1979: District 65 affiliates with the United Auto Workers (UAW).

1981: District 65 loses its second election in the Medical Area. This time, 390 workers oppose the union and 328 support it.

May 1983: The union petitions the NLRB for a third election. In hearings before the board, Harvard again contests the bargaining unit.

March 1984: The NLRB overturns its previous decision and rules that the union will have to organize clerical and technical workers on the entire campus in order to hold an election.

August 1985: Several former Harvard staff members, led by Kris Rondeau, split from the UAW after months of in-fighting, to form the independent Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (HUCTW). The UAW remains on campus and the two groups vie for employee support.

January 1987: After 18 months of independent organizing with virtually no funds, HUCTW receives national backing when it affiliates with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). AFSCME, the largest union in the AFL-CIO, vows to give HUCTW as much support as it needs to win the election and contributes $500,000 to the campaign right off the bat.

May 1987: At a HUCTW rally attended by more than 500 support staff members, the seven other unions at Harvard announce their support of HUCTW's organizing efforts in the first-ever alliance of the campus unions. The alliance ensures worker solidarity in the event of any future strikes.

October 1987: UAW withdraws its organizing efforts from the Harvard campus, acknowledging HUCTW's larger base of support.

December 1987: HUCTW begins the complicated process of getting a union election by distributing union cards to support staff. Employees who endorse the union sign the cards and then return them to organizers.

January 1988: Administrators begin to heighten the University's efforts against the union by distributing a union briefing book to supervisors. Administrators also hold closed meetings to urge support for the University's position.

February 6, 1988: Civil rights leader Coretta Scott King writes a letter to Harvard support staff endorsing HUCTW and its parent union, AFSCME.

February 22, 1988: At a rally attended by approximately 700 employees, students and other supporters, HUCTW announces that it has recieved signed union cards from a majority of support staff and that it will file its petition for an election by the end of March.

March 1, 1988: Rep. Barney Frank '62 (D-Mass.) writes a letter endorsing HUCTW and criticizing the antiunion campaigning of the University. Sen Edward M. Kennedy '54 (D-Mass.) and his nephew Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II (D-Mass.) also say they support the union's efforts.

March 7, 1988: 1000 students sign a petition urging the University to remain neutral during the union campaign.

March 8, 1988: University administrators begin holding "informational meetings," outlining the University's position on the union for support staff members.

March 14, 1988: HUCTW files its petition for an election with the NLRB. At the same time, union members hand-deliver letters to the homes of the Corporation members, requesting that they assist in ensuring a quick election.