Pres. Race Troubles Guard's Union

Amid a slew of other troubles, the Harvard University Security Guards, Parking Attendant and Fogg Art Museum Guards union is now embroiled in a contentious election race to decide whether union president Stephen G. McCombe will keep his post.

Steven Fritz, 37, a former Army captain who became a Fogg guard in 1998, is challenging McCombe.

Fritz is already at the center of a controversy, having convened an early March meeting with a rival union which he said led to a formal complaint by McCombe.

That complaint--filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on April 12--alleges that employees were encouraged to join another union sometime in early March.

On or about March 4, Fritz said he invited representatives from the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (HUCTW) to present the pros-and-cons of their union.

HUCTW, which represents a great majority of Harvard's non-academic employees, is far larger than the security guards union--which in 1995 voted to separate from its parent, the Service Employees International Union.

The meeting with HUCTW representatives took place after hours at the Fogg Museum.

"We invited them. We just wanted to know what that union could do for our members," Fritz said.

According to Fritz and at least two other union members who attended the meeting, at no time did HUCTW representatives propose that the guards' union join their organization.

Though the University denies it helped to organize the early March meeting, it is named as the object of the NLRB complaint.

If this meeting is indeed the subject of thecomplaint, the University would be responsiblesimply because the meeting was held on Universityproperty.

Robert Travers, who is currently the vicepresident of the guards' union, also attended themeeting, according to Fritz and another guard whowas present.

University officials--who are accustomed tonegotiating with HUCTW--deny allegations thatthey've supported Fritz in his candidacy, whichsurfaced in the past month.

"We do not interfere into union activities andwe would never step in and try to influence theinner workings of a professional union," saidUniversity spokesperson Joe Wrinn.

Fritz's campaign for the union presidency hasalso come under scrutiny by fellow guards.

Besides alleging that he has receivedUniversity support, some union members wonder ifhe conducts his campaign while on the clock.

Fritz said he promotes his candidacy "during mylunch breaks...or my bathroom breaks"--not when onduty--and said he had not received any assistanceor advice from the University.

Fritz's supervisor, Michelle M. Trifiro, who isdirector of security for the Fogg Museum, did notrespond to messages requesting comment this week.

Both McCombe and union lawyer Randall L. Nashdeclined to respond to Fritz's assertions ordiscuss the complaint they had filed against theUniversity.

"It's being investigated by the NLRB. Theyhaven't completed their investigation. I reallycan't comment on what's in the complaint," Nashsaid.

McCombe has headed the autonomous securityguard union since its formation on Jan 5, 1996.

Since that date, the union has been without aworking contract, and has publicly complained thatthe University is intent on replacing the forcewith lower-cost private security agencies.

Several Harvard graduate schools, including theHarvard Law School and the Harvard Medical School,have replaced the Harvard guards with privatelyemployed security agents.

McCombe has come under fire from many of theveteran guards in his force, who seek to havetheir contract bought out and want to retire.

For his part, McCombe has claimed in numerousinterviews with The Crimson that the Universityhas not negotiated in good faith.

But Fritz alleges that McCombe is to blame forthe union woes.

"I accuse Steve McCombe of abuse of authority,"he said.

"We at the museum feel so alienated by our ownunion. We didn't feel like we had a voice," Fritzsaid.

A federal mediator is now overseeing thenegotiations between the University and the union.Although the two sides have met in recent weeks,little progress has been made, according to asource with knowledge of the talks.

The union election--which according to unionbylaws should be held in June--has not yet beenscheduled.

Coincidentally, the NLRB will wrap up itsinvestigation by the beginning of that month,according to spokesperson Lisa Fierce.

If the NLRB finds it has enough evidence tofile a charge against the University, a formalinvestigation will begin

If this meeting is indeed the subject of thecomplaint, the University would be responsiblesimply because the meeting was held on Universityproperty.

Robert Travers, who is currently the vicepresident of the guards' union, also attended themeeting, according to Fritz and another guard whowas present.

University officials--who are accustomed tonegotiating with HUCTW--deny allegations thatthey've supported Fritz in his candidacy, whichsurfaced in the past month.

"We do not interfere into union activities andwe would never step in and try to influence theinner workings of a professional union," saidUniversity spokesperson Joe Wrinn.

Fritz's campaign for the union presidency hasalso come under scrutiny by fellow guards.

Besides alleging that he has receivedUniversity support, some union members wonder ifhe conducts his campaign while on the clock.

Fritz said he promotes his candidacy "during mylunch breaks...or my bathroom breaks"--not when onduty--and said he had not received any assistanceor advice from the University.

Fritz's supervisor, Michelle M. Trifiro, who isdirector of security for the Fogg Museum, did notrespond to messages requesting comment this week.

Both McCombe and union lawyer Randall L. Nashdeclined to respond to Fritz's assertions ordiscuss the complaint they had filed against theUniversity.

"It's being investigated by the NLRB. Theyhaven't completed their investigation. I reallycan't comment on what's in the complaint," Nashsaid.

McCombe has headed the autonomous securityguard union since its formation on Jan 5, 1996.

Since that date, the union has been without aworking contract, and has publicly complained thatthe University is intent on replacing the forcewith lower-cost private security agencies.

Several Harvard graduate schools, including theHarvard Law School and the Harvard Medical School,have replaced the Harvard guards with privatelyemployed security agents.

McCombe has come under fire from many of theveteran guards in his force, who seek to havetheir contract bought out and want to retire.

For his part, McCombe has claimed in numerousinterviews with The Crimson that the Universityhas not negotiated in good faith.

But Fritz alleges that McCombe is to blame forthe union woes.

"I accuse Steve McCombe of abuse of authority,"he said.

"We at the museum feel so alienated by our ownunion. We didn't feel like we had a voice," Fritzsaid.

A federal mediator is now overseeing thenegotiations between the University and the union.Although the two sides have met in recent weeks,little progress has been made, according to asource with knowledge of the talks.

The union election--which according to unionbylaws should be held in June--has not yet beenscheduled.

Coincidentally, the NLRB will wrap up itsinvestigation by the beginning of that month,according to spokesperson Lisa Fierce.

If the NLRB finds it has enough evidence tofile a charge against the University, a formalinvestigation will begin