PSLM Tries to Subpoena Professor

Undergraduate students in the Progressive Student Labor Movement (PSLM) failed in their second attempt to deliver a subpoena to a Harvard Business School (HBS) professor during his class yesterday morning.

Robinson Professor of Business Administration James I. Cash sits on the Board of Directors of the Knight-Ridder Corporation. The subpoena would require him to testify on May 1 about a labor dispute between the corporation and the employees of several newspapers owned by Knight-Ridder.

For more than a year, workers at the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News have been on strike, demanding better wages and a stop to the consolidation of several Detroit papers.

According to PSLM members Daniel R. Morgan '99 and Daniel M. Hennefeld '99, the students are working conjunction with leaders of the Detroit labor union organizing the strike.

"[The union organizers] left the subpoena with us so that we could deliver it to him," Morgan said. "They felt we were in a better position than they were."

PSLM members said Cash has refused repeatedly to meet with the students. Cash called for police protection both yesterday and during a labor protest at HBS on April 11.

"We initially tried to meet with him," Morgan said. "He told us he wouldn't meet with us and slammed the door in our faces."

Isaac R.S. Hodes '99, who tried yesterday to give the subpoena to Cash, said that the professor had to be held accountable for his actions.

"Mr. Cash has to be forced to face the fact that the decisions he makes on behalf of Knight-Ridder have a real effect on workers in Detroit," Hodes said.

"I'd like Harvard and the people who speak in Harvard's name to represent the values that I believe I have been taught here," Morgan said.

Yesterday's attempt was the second time students tried to serve a subpoena to Cash on behalf of the Knight-Ridder employees.

On April 11, members of the labor union attempted to enter Cash's office in Baker Library but were refused access to HBS grounds by University police. PSLM students, who were holding a rally outside the library, were allowed into the library but not into Cash's office. Cash was out of town at the time.

The students decided a class would be the best place to serve Cash the subpoena because the professor could not shut them out.

Hodes was chosen to deliver the subpoena because he is a Massachusetts resident. Only residents of Massachusetts have the legal right to serve the subpoena, issued by the Waltham District Court.

Hodes tried to hand Cash the subpoena while he stood at the front of the classroom. But the professor put his hands behind his back and would not take the paper.

"Professor Cash looked surprised, but I'm not sure whether he was surprised or not," Morgan said.

Cash told the students that he had no obligation to accept the subpoena because he had asked that it be issued to his lawyer.

According to the students, Cash told them, "If you do not leave, the police will be here in less than five minutes and will arrest you all."

At the time of publication Cash could not be reached for comment.

Before Cash's arrival PSLM members tried to distribute leaflets to the HBS students but were greeted with boos and hisses.

"One said, 'Do you know how much I'm paying to be here?'" Morgan said. "Others told us we were wasting our time."

PSLM members say Business School students have generally been unsympathetic to their cause.

"The B-School students were hostile and on his side. He has them in the palm of his hand," Hennefeld said. "From my perspective the B-School is entirely pro-business and does not consider the labor perspective. That's something we are trying to change."

"I was not disappointed that they disagreed with our politics, just that they disapproved of our actions," Morgan said.

According to Hennefeld, the Detroit union has had success with its appeals to other high profile board members. In particular, Rosalynn Carter, wife of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, resigned from the Knight-Ridder Board because of the labor dispute.

PSLM is unsure of what further action it will take.

"A lot of this depends on the Detroit workers--they gave us their support," Hennefeld said. "A lot of what we do depends on what they decide.

"Professor Cash looked surprised, but I'm not sure whether he was surprised or not," Morgan said.

Cash told the students that he had no obligation to accept the subpoena because he had asked that it be issued to his lawyer.

According to the students, Cash told them, "If you do not leave, the police will be here in less than five minutes and will arrest you all."

At the time of publication Cash could not be reached for comment.

Before Cash's arrival PSLM members tried to distribute leaflets to the HBS students but were greeted with boos and hisses.

"One said, 'Do you know how much I'm paying to be here?'" Morgan said. "Others told us we were wasting our time."

PSLM members say Business School students have generally been unsympathetic to their cause.

"The B-School students were hostile and on his side. He has them in the palm of his hand," Hennefeld said. "From my perspective the B-School is entirely pro-business and does not consider the labor perspective. That's something we are trying to change."

"I was not disappointed that they disagreed with our politics, just that they disapproved of our actions," Morgan said.

According to Hennefeld, the Detroit union has had success with its appeals to other high profile board members. In particular, Rosalynn Carter, wife of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, resigned from the Knight-Ridder Board because of the labor dispute.

PSLM is unsure of what further action it will take.

"A lot of this depends on the Detroit workers--they gave us their support," Hennefeld said. "A lot of what we do depends on what they decide.