Union Still Awaits Results of `Probe'

On September 12, 1991, an agent for the local AFL-CIO chapter met with a University attorney to discuss charges of harassment in Harvard's security division. They may not have spoken since.

University attorney Diane B. Patrick promised to investigate the racial harassment charges. She also reportedly told Francis E. Fanning, the agent for the union that represents Harvard guards, that she would get back to him.

Nearly nine months have passed, and Fanningsaid yesterday that he is still waiting to hearfrom Patrick.

"We asked them to do an internalinvestigation," said Fanning. "I'm still waitingfor a response."

It is unclear whether a response is coming.Patrick, questioned as she left her officeyesterday afternoon, refused to comment on anyaspect of the investigation.

Vice President and General Counsel DanielSteiner '54 said last month that Patrickinvestigated the harassment charges several monthsago and found them to be without merit.

But seven former and current minority securityguards--who say supervisors have mistreated thembecause of their race or ethnicity--say they werenever interviewed by Patrick, or anyone else fromthe general counsel's office.

Steiner did not return a phone call yesterday.

In an interview Monday, Steiner would not saywhether Patrick interviewed the guards, butemphasized that his office had investigated thecharges thoroughly.

Steiner also said governmentagencies--including the Equal EmploymentOpportunity Commission (EEOC) and theMassachusetts Commission Against Discrimination(MCAD)--looked into many of the same complaintsand dismissed them.

MCAD officials could only confirm that two ofthe seven guards filed complaints with the agency.MCAD ruled against one guard; the other guardreportedly withdrew his complaint.

EEOC policy prevents officials from discussingcomplaints filed with the commission, aspokesperson said.

Fanning would not say yesterday what the unionmight do to bring a response from the University.

Steven Thompson, the Black guard present at theSeptember meeting, was one of the seven guards whosaid they were not interviewed. He said heconsiders the department's disciplinary proceduresto be discriminatory until the general counsel'soffice says otherwise.

Thompson also said Patrick never provided anyresponse, either verbal or written, to hiscomplaint.

The seven guards say the racial harassment bysupervisors included verbal abuse, unusually closemonitoring of minority guards on duty, and threatsof reprisals

Nearly nine months have passed, and Fanningsaid yesterday that he is still waiting to hearfrom Patrick.

"We asked them to do an internalinvestigation," said Fanning. "I'm still waitingfor a response."

It is unclear whether a response is coming.Patrick, questioned as she left her officeyesterday afternoon, refused to comment on anyaspect of the investigation.

Vice President and General Counsel DanielSteiner '54 said last month that Patrickinvestigated the harassment charges several monthsago and found them to be without merit.

But seven former and current minority securityguards--who say supervisors have mistreated thembecause of their race or ethnicity--say they werenever interviewed by Patrick, or anyone else fromthe general counsel's office.

Steiner did not return a phone call yesterday.

In an interview Monday, Steiner would not saywhether Patrick interviewed the guards, butemphasized that his office had investigated thecharges thoroughly.

Steiner also said governmentagencies--including the Equal EmploymentOpportunity Commission (EEOC) and theMassachusetts Commission Against Discrimination(MCAD)--looked into many of the same complaintsand dismissed them.

MCAD officials could only confirm that two ofthe seven guards filed complaints with the agency.MCAD ruled against one guard; the other guardreportedly withdrew his complaint.

EEOC policy prevents officials from discussingcomplaints filed with the commission, aspokesperson said.

Fanning would not say yesterday what the unionmight do to bring a response from the University.

Steven Thompson, the Black guard present at theSeptember meeting, was one of the seven guards whosaid they were not interviewed. He said heconsiders the department's disciplinary proceduresto be discriminatory until the general counsel'soffice says otherwise.

Thompson also said Patrick never provided anyresponse, either verbal or written, to hiscomplaint.

The seven guards say the racial harassment bysupervisors included verbal abuse, unusually closemonitoring of minority guards on duty, and threatsof reprisals