OBU Negotiations Stalled Over Construction Issue

Negotiations between the Organization for Black Unity (OBU) and the Harvard administration have collapsed, and no further talks are scheduled.

OBU has charged the Administration with failing to respond positively to its demands, particularly the demand that 20 per cent of construction workers at Harvard be black or "third world."

Philip N. Lee. a third-year law student and one of the OBU negotiators, said that OBU voted Monday night-following the initial meeting of the "implementation committee" set up during the December 5 building occupation-to cancel the meeting scheduled for 1 p. m. yesterday.

"As far as OBU is concerned, talks broke down right after the first session," OBU president Lee said yesterday. "It was clear that the Administration was not ready to discuss construction workers or the 20 per cent demand."

Lee said that initiation of any further talks is up to the Administration.

Willing to Talk

But Archibald Cox. Samuel Williston Professor of Law and one of the chief negotiators for the University, said last night that the Administration was willing to talk and the next move was up to OBU.

"We're sorry that they're unwilling to meet with us." Cox said. "but we can't meet with people who refuse to meet."

Cox said that he received a message Tuesday afternoon that there would be no further meetings until the University agreed to the OBU demands.

Yesterday's meeting had been set up Monday at the first meeting of the implementation committee as a continuation of the talks. The ten-member committee-five OBU members and five Administration spokesmen, including Cox and L. Gard Wiggins, administrative vice-president-was part of the agreement drawn up between Lee and Cox during the black students seizure of University Hall last Friday.

The OBU demands center around three main issues:

That Harvard raise the wages of all painters helpers to those of painters and abolish the painters helper category.

That 20 per cent of all workers employed at present and future construction sites be black or "third world".

And that a mechanism be established to provide for a compliance officer to supervise these sites.

After Monday's meeting, OBU spokesmen expressed optimism about reaching agreement on the painters helper issue. They said however that construction workers had not been discussed, and that the main point of contention was the 20 per cent demand.

That night, Lee said OBU met as a body and voted to discontinue talks on the grounds that the Administration was not ready to discuss the demands positively.

"We move as a unified body." Lee said. "The group told me to cancel the meeting and I did so."

University Regrets

A University press statement, released last night, says. "Harvard University greatly regrets the refusal of OBU to continue discussion of concrete steps to increase black and other minority employment upon construction projects."

The statement gives two reasons for the "University's unwillingness to agree to" the 20 percent demand:

The demand is that Harvard promise discrimination in employment. There is no justification for promising black and other non-white workers 20 per cent of

construction jobs, even though a target equal to the proportion of blacks and other minority workers in the local area is justified ... the proportion does not come anywhere near to 20 per cent."

"Harvard cannot promise a 20 per cent figure now, because the promise cannot be performed. Harvard does not control the hiring or construction projects or the conditions imposed by labor unions ... in addition, men with the necessary skills are not presently available. They can be trained, and the University is energetically supporting training programs."

"We are always ready to review the pertinent data with OBU in the hope that all of us may achieve a better understanding of the facts," the statement adds. "We do not enjoy being used for propaganda purposes."

Likely Targets

Because of the breakdown in negotiations, Massachusetts and University Halls-shown by experience to be likely targets for demonstrations-were locked yesterday and specially guarded.

Both the front door and the inside door to Massachusetts Hall were locked. Three of the four entrances to University Hall were also locked, and the fourth door was guarded by a University policeman.

Cox admitted last night that the reason for these precautions was the possible threat of another demonstration. "In view of what has happened in recent weeks, it seemed a sensible way to handle admission to the building," he said.

'Black Tactics'

The agreement reached Friday after a six-hour work stoppage by black people demonstrates again that white institutions seem unable to respond to the needs of black people unless they are threatened," said an OBU press statement released Monday. "And it should teach a lesson to those who say they cannot understand the tactics of black people."

No decision on punishment for participation in the December 5 occupation has yet been reached. However, Cox said Monday night that he did not "rule out the possibility of disciplinary action in the future."