Harvard Unions Pleased by Rudenstine's Performance

When President Neil L. Rudenstine delivered his inaugural address in Tercentenary Theater last fall, the leaders of Harvard's seven labor unions were listening closely.

Three years before, after losing a lengthy court battle, the University was forced to recognize the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (HUCTW), the largest organized labor unit in Harvard's history.

Since the fight, relations between the University and the unions had been tense.

But as Rudenstine spoke this fall, labor leaders decided they liked what they were hearing.

The new president seemed concerned with Harvard's social responsibility. To the unions, that meant a commitment to labor.

Over the next 18 months, Rudenstine's friendly attitude toward organized labor would be tested. Contracts with all seven of the unions were scheduled for renegotiation.

Union leaders did not take Rudenstine's friendliness for granted. During negotiations, six of the seven unions formed an alliance to discuss common interests and present a united front to the University.

Today, more than seven months after Rudenstine's inauguration, most of the unions seem satisfied with the new president's performance.

Two contracts have been completed and two others are on the table. Harvard also signed an unprecedented agreement that commits the University to use only unionized labor on nearly $100 million worth of construction and renovations over the next three years.

"We think that Rudenstine's inaugural address of social responsibility is bearing out," says Joseph W. Nigro secretary-treasurer of the Boston Building Trades Council and a representative of more than 300 facilities maintenance employees at Harvard.

"With the signing of [the construction and renovations] contract, it's one of the first signs that he's putting his words into effect.," Nigro says.

In addition, some union officials are also pleased with Rudenstine's decision to transfer the Office of Human Resources away from Vice President for Finance Robert H. Scott to Vice President for Administration Sally H. Zeckhauser. They suggest Scott may have placed too much emphasis on the bottom line.

But most of Harvard's other labor leaders stop short of echoing Nigro's unequivocal praise.

Contract talks with HUCTW are now approaching their sixth month, and HUCTW President Donene M. Williams says she is frustrated.

"We're negotiating in a very old-fashioned way, meaning there's wariness," says Williams. "They're not thinking about the merits of something for the University; they're just thinking about the cost."

The Food Service Workers Union--which represents Harvard's 500 dining hall employees--is preparing for a confrontation with the University as its contract negotiations get underway.

"If the fight's there we're ready to take it on. If it's not there, we're ready to sign a good contract," says Domenic M. Bozzotto, business manager of the union.

And although the Graphics Communication International Union--which includes most of the staff of the Office of the University Publisher--has already completed negotiations, some members are not with happy with the result.

Despite the construction and renovations agreement, union official say the University still lacks a firm policy against contracting work to non-unionized companies. Most labor officials say it is too early to tell how seriously the Rudenstine administration takes its commitment to social responsibility.

In the meantime, the unions are wasting no time in demonstrating their resolve.

When union leaders are asked about what they accomplished this year, most use the word `unity' in their response.

"We're trying to get some unity amongst ourselves," says Chuck J. Monahan, a representative of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

The new coalition sponsored several rallies and a petition drive to show Harvard that its work force has a common purpose and the determination to follow through with its demands.

"What we're saying for forming a coalition is...if you can't listen to 35 of us individually, you can certainly listen to 6000 to 7000 of us together," says Williams, the HUCTW leader.

If the University administration considers union unity as a threat, then the coalition has achieved one of its major goals, she says.

Zeckhauser, vice president for administration, denies that the University feels threatened.

In fact, she says, most people in the administration think the union coalition may facilitate negotiations in the future.

"I think the open communication among unions is consistent with our own effort to encourage collaboration [within the administration]," Zeckhauser says. "Those efforts mirror some of the joint planning efforts that President Rudenstine has initiated."

Discordant Unity?

But even as the unions join forces to face off with the administration, the fledgling "unity" movement is showing signs of a possible fracture.

Bozzotto, the Food Service Workers Union official, says dining hall workers were not invited to join the new alliance. He says the coalition was formed simply to serve one group's immediate needs.

"The building trades have a tendency to wantjoint coalitions when they're in trouble and notwant them when they're in trouble and not wantthem when they're not in trouble," Bazzotto says."A real coalition means no matter who's introuble, everyone comes to their aid. Thosecoalitions we're serious about."

But the building trades union denies that thedining workers were excluded. Nigro saysBozzotto--who advocates a militant, "take noprisoners" stance when dealing with theUniversity--is isolating dining services workersfrom the mainstream of the labor movement.

"It's amazing that [the food service workers]are not partaking in the coalition of unions,working in a spirit to make Harvard a betterplace," Nigro says. "You can complain aboutHarvard all you want, but if you don't participatein the cooperative spirit ... you have no right tocomplain."

"[Bozzotto has] been hot air for a long time,"he adds. "There is a time to be militant and thereis a time to work in cooperation at a table andnegotiate contracts that are satisfactory of bothsides."

Bozzotto disagrees, arguing that Harvard doesnot respond to union demands unless the demandsare made from a position of strength.

"By and large they've got to be convinced thatthe union is serious about protecting the standardthe workers have put together over the years,"Bozzotto says.

Labor expert Patricia A. Greenfield, a laborrelations scholar at the University ofMassachusetts-Amherst, sides with Nigro, addingthat the union's posture should depend in part onthe University's stance.

"Ultimately it comes down to whether the toplevel administration looks at the unions asorganizations that can work with the University toimprove the work life of the workers," saysGreenfield, who is director of the UMass LaborRelations and Research Center.

"If the administration is committed to that,then the negotiations can certainly have apositive outcome," Greenfield says. "On the otherhand, if you have an administration that doesn'tlike unions ... [the negotiations] will not be apositive and constructive experience."

Zeckhauser maintains that the Harvardadministration is committed to productivenegotiations.

Like the union leaders, she refers toRudenstine's inaugural address, which she saysoutlined the vision that the University iscommitted to accomplish.

"One of the things President Rudenstine did doit ... talk about Harvard as not just an academicinstitution but [as] a human institution,"Zeckhauser says.

"We'd like to fulfill President Rudenstine'svision, not just for faculty and students, but forall people who work here as a valuable part ofthis community," she says.Crimson File PhotoVice President SALLY ZECKHAUSER

"The building trades have a tendency to wantjoint coalitions when they're in trouble and notwant them when they're in trouble and not wantthem when they're not in trouble," Bazzotto says."A real coalition means no matter who's introuble, everyone comes to their aid. Thosecoalitions we're serious about."

But the building trades union denies that thedining workers were excluded. Nigro saysBozzotto--who advocates a militant, "take noprisoners" stance when dealing with theUniversity--is isolating dining services workersfrom the mainstream of the labor movement.

"It's amazing that [the food service workers]are not partaking in the coalition of unions,working in a spirit to make Harvard a betterplace," Nigro says. "You can complain aboutHarvard all you want, but if you don't participatein the cooperative spirit ... you have no right tocomplain."

"[Bozzotto has] been hot air for a long time,"he adds. "There is a time to be militant and thereis a time to work in cooperation at a table andnegotiate contracts that are satisfactory of bothsides."

Bozzotto disagrees, arguing that Harvard doesnot respond to union demands unless the demandsare made from a position of strength.

"By and large they've got to be convinced thatthe union is serious about protecting the standardthe workers have put together over the years,"Bozzotto says.

Labor expert Patricia A. Greenfield, a laborrelations scholar at the University ofMassachusetts-Amherst, sides with Nigro, addingthat the union's posture should depend in part onthe University's stance.

"Ultimately it comes down to whether the toplevel administration looks at the unions asorganizations that can work with the University toimprove the work life of the workers," saysGreenfield, who is director of the UMass LaborRelations and Research Center.

"If the administration is committed to that,then the negotiations can certainly have apositive outcome," Greenfield says. "On the otherhand, if you have an administration that doesn'tlike unions ... [the negotiations] will not be apositive and constructive experience."

Zeckhauser maintains that the Harvardadministration is committed to productivenegotiations.

Like the union leaders, she refers toRudenstine's inaugural address, which she saysoutlined the vision that the University iscommitted to accomplish.

"One of the things President Rudenstine did doit ... talk about Harvard as not just an academicinstitution but [as] a human institution,"Zeckhauser says.

"We'd like to fulfill President Rudenstine'svision, not just for faculty and students, but forall people who work here as a valuable part ofthis community," she says.Crimson File PhotoVice President SALLY ZECKHAUSER