Powers Rules Out Dining Strike

Despite a strike authorization vote by Harvard's kitchen workers last night, the University's chief labor negotiator said yesterday he does not believe the workers will strike. He also said he may retract some of the concessions made in Harvard's current contract offer if the union wants to renegotiate the pact.

"I don't anticipate a strike--it's just not a contingency," Edward F. Powers, associate general counsel for labor relations, said.

"If they want renegotiation, they should understand that everything's up for grabs--wage settlements, retroactivity, everything," he added.

Mel Peoples, chief shop steward of the Harvard dining halls, yesterday declined to comment on any future negotiations pending a "more in-depth study."

The union's negotiating committee accepted the contract. It was rejected, however, by the union membership. The contract provides for wage increases and additional vacations, but does not include the changes in pension, dental and Blue Cross coverage desired by the union.

Powers said he believes Harvard's contract offer is very generous, because Harvard traditionally pays kitchen workers higher wages than any outside employer.

Powers That Be

Powers also said he believes Peoples "negotiated in bad faith" because he criticized the contract publicly last week and called for a strike.

Peoples said he in fact did not call for a strike last week. However if the union membership rejected the contract, he said the workers should then vote to strike as a back-up to their negotiators at the bargaining table.