Workers Protest Harvard Contractor

Nine congressional candidates, a candidate for lieutenant governor, a city councillor, the vice mayor, a half-dozen members of the Progressive Students Labor Movement (PSLM) and several representatives of the Painters and Allied Trades Union descended on the Yard last Thursday to protest a Harvard contractor they say is opposing its workers' efforts to unionize.

The contractor--Arlington-based W.T. Kenney Painting Co.--has been working on several dormitories in the Yard and elsewhere on campus.

Kenney is currently under investigation by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for allegedly intimidating pro-union workers. Protesters also faulted the contractor for failing to provide an apprenticeship program or to pay its workers the prevailing local wage.

Local politicians took the opportunity to lambaste Harvard and demand the University adopt a contracting policy modeled on Cambridge's own "Responsible Employer Ordinance" to ensure contractors provide adequate benefits to their workers.

But Kenney claims its workers do not want to unionize, and the University defends its contracting procedures as fair to unions.

Under Investigation

Employees at W.T. Kenney, a company of about 30 workers, began attempts to unionizein April, according to John Laughlin, aspokesperson for Painters and Allied Trades, theunion that brought the complaint to the NLRB.

"They have been trying to organize for three orfour months," Laughlin said. The union filed itscomplaint with the NLRB May 19.

According to Scott Burson, a supervisoryattorney at the NLRB, W.T. Kenney faces threeseparate accusations. Workers allege a unionsupporter was sent home from work early,threatening statements were made to unionsupporters and the company made attempts todiscourage workers from unionizing.

But Allan Kenney, owner of W.T. Kenney, said apetition to ask the NLRB for a secret election onunionization had failed to garner the supportneeded for the board to order a vote. The petitionfell well short of the 30 percent necessary, saidKenney.

"The vast majority of my people didn't want tojoin the union," Kenney said.

Burson said he expects the NLRB to decide onthe unfair labor practices charges against Kenneywithin the next two weeks.

Joe Wrinn, a University spokesperson, saidHarvard would not take sides in a fight between acontractor and its workers. "This is an issuebetween a union and a company," he said.

Responsible Employer

The City's Responsible Employer Ordinancerequires contractors to pay the prevailing wagerate, provide adequate health care coverage andoffer an apprenticeship program.

Cambridge Vice Mayor Anthony Galluccio, amongthe protesters Thursday, sent a letter toPresident Neil L. Rudenstine last week urging theUniversity to implement a similar policy.

The City's ordinance also requires contractorsto hire a prescribed minimum percentage ofminority and women workers.

Galluccio stressed that the apprenticeshipprogram is the most important part of theproposal.

"The City has recognized the benefits ofemploying trade union members who have learnedtheir trade by going through rigorousapprenticeship programs under the supervision ofhighly skilled workers," Galluccio wrote toRudenstine.

"I think it's incredibly ironic that a majoruniversity would employ a company that has notraining for young people," Laughlin said.

The policy does not mandate that contractorsemploy union members, though supporters say aunion is often the best way to ensure compliance.

"The best way to guarantee a responsibleemployer is through a union," said Daniel R.Morgan '99, a member of PSLM who participated inthe rally.

Harvard already makes provisions to supportunion bidders, according to Merry Touborg,director of communications for the Office of HumanResources. Touborg said contracts worth over$50,000 are required to have at least one unionbidder, and ordinarily all projects worth morethan $500,000 are required to go to contractorswho employ unionized workers.

"Our general philosophy is that because we aresignificant employer of trade workers in Bostonand Cambridge, we feel it is important to supportcertain values that unions are representative of,meaning adequate wages and benefits and youthapprenticeship programs," Touborg said.

But Touborg warned that each school operates onits own budget and Harvard policy "need[s] topreserve each school's ability to make the most ofits resources."

Wrinn defended the University's contractingrecord: "Over 90 percent of the jobs that arecompetitively bid at Harvard have gone to unioncontractors in the past," he said. "I think wehave a very good record and relationship withunions here.

"They have been trying to organize for three orfour months," Laughlin said. The union filed itscomplaint with the NLRB May 19.

According to Scott Burson, a supervisoryattorney at the NLRB, W.T. Kenney faces threeseparate accusations. Workers allege a unionsupporter was sent home from work early,threatening statements were made to unionsupporters and the company made attempts todiscourage workers from unionizing.

But Allan Kenney, owner of W.T. Kenney, said apetition to ask the NLRB for a secret election onunionization had failed to garner the supportneeded for the board to order a vote. The petitionfell well short of the 30 percent necessary, saidKenney.

"The vast majority of my people didn't want tojoin the union," Kenney said.

Burson said he expects the NLRB to decide onthe unfair labor practices charges against Kenneywithin the next two weeks.

Joe Wrinn, a University spokesperson, saidHarvard would not take sides in a fight between acontractor and its workers. "This is an issuebetween a union and a company," he said.

Responsible Employer

The City's Responsible Employer Ordinancerequires contractors to pay the prevailing wagerate, provide adequate health care coverage andoffer an apprenticeship program.

Cambridge Vice Mayor Anthony Galluccio, amongthe protesters Thursday, sent a letter toPresident Neil L. Rudenstine last week urging theUniversity to implement a similar policy.

The City's ordinance also requires contractorsto hire a prescribed minimum percentage ofminority and women workers.

Galluccio stressed that the apprenticeshipprogram is the most important part of theproposal.

"The City has recognized the benefits ofemploying trade union members who have learnedtheir trade by going through rigorousapprenticeship programs under the supervision ofhighly skilled workers," Galluccio wrote toRudenstine.

"I think it's incredibly ironic that a majoruniversity would employ a company that has notraining for young people," Laughlin said.

The policy does not mandate that contractorsemploy union members, though supporters say aunion is often the best way to ensure compliance.

"The best way to guarantee a responsibleemployer is through a union," said Daniel R.Morgan '99, a member of PSLM who participated inthe rally.

Harvard already makes provisions to supportunion bidders, according to Merry Touborg,director of communications for the Office of HumanResources. Touborg said contracts worth over$50,000 are required to have at least one unionbidder, and ordinarily all projects worth morethan $500,000 are required to go to contractorswho employ unionized workers.

"Our general philosophy is that because we aresignificant employer of trade workers in Bostonand Cambridge, we feel it is important to supportcertain values that unions are representative of,meaning adequate wages and benefits and youthapprenticeship programs," Touborg said.

But Touborg warned that each school operates onits own budget and Harvard policy "need[s] topreserve each school's ability to make the most ofits resources."

Wrinn defended the University's contractingrecord: "Over 90 percent of the jobs that arecompetitively bid at Harvard have gone to unioncontractors in the past," he said. "I think wehave a very good record and relationship withunions here.