HUERA Head Says AFL Misleads Personnel Here

Thomas F. Stone, president of the Harvard University Employees Association, charged yesterday that AFL organizers are attempting to mislead University employees by claiming victories in jurisdictional elections at the bindery and Department of Athletics.

Handbills now being circulated by the AFL Building Service Employees Local 254 claim, "AFL Scores Victories over Independent at Bindery and at H.A.A." The Local is seeking to represent unskilled employees, now members of the HUERA and other independent employees' unions.

Stone said that the bindery employees voted to join a union other than the Building Service local, and noted that the final outcome of the balloting among employees of the Department of Athletics will depend upon a ruling by the State Labor Relations Commission on the eligibility of two voters, whose ballots were contested by the local last month.

He charged that the protest "could be a delaying tactic to mislead a lot of people." Stone said that the local had previously agreed to the eligibility of the two individuals whose votes could decide the jurisdictional election.

Edward Sullivan, president of the Building Service local, said that his union's agreement to the eligibility of the employees depended upon the authenticity of statements concerning the individuals made at an informal Labor Relations Commission hearing prior to the election. He said that the protest was lodged after the local decided that the statements were not true. Sullivan would not reveal the nature of the statements.

Sullivan stated that the Building Service local had no definite plans to seek jurisdictional elections among other groups. "If we lose this time," he continued, "I will never lead another organizing drive at Harvard."

Unorganized employees at the chemical laboratories and at the Arnold Arboretum will vote Thursday on representation by the local, and 236 University janitors who now belong to the HUERA will vote on June 18. The local has also petitioned for elections among members of the Groundsmen's and Truckmen's Associations.