HUCTW, University Could Be in for Yet Another Long Haul

Negotiations between the University and its largest union the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (HUCTW), have historically been difficult and this year is no exception.

Union members have been working without a contract since June 30, while HUCTW representatives have been meeting with administration officials every day for the last several weeks to work out a new contract.

Negotiations are currently divided over HUCTW's benefits plan. University benefits were revised by a task force last fall.

Union leaders say some of the benefits cuts--among them a decrease in total health care coverage for part-time workers--proposed by the University are "unacceptable."

But both sides say they do not want the negotiations to degenerate as far as they did in 1992, when an outside mediator had to be hired to solve the dispute.

The 1992 negotiations dragged into January of 1993 because serious disagreements over compensation led to break downs in the negotiating process.

"I'm very hopeful that this could be a less protracted negotiation than we had in '92," HUCTW Director William Jaeger said in an interview last week. "It's a healthy enough process to hope we could reach an agreement."

And Merry D. Touborg, a spokesperson for the Office of Human Resources says that some of Harvard's other unions have not objected to the University's new benefits plan.

"Bear in mind some of the unions have negotiated new contracts and accepted the benefits changes," she said in an interview last week.

The Big Issue

The fact that the new benefits package is an issue is not a surprise," Touborg says. "We knew that it was going to be a major negotiating issue."

"The most difficult issue in negotiations right now is benefits," Jaeger said at HUCTW's rally on June 28th. "More specifically, the University is proposing that we agree to a package ofbenefits changes which were devised by a group ofhighly paid top administrators last year."

The task force of 10-top level Harvardadministrators spent most of last year evaluatingthe benefits for faculty and staff. The alladministrator makeup of the task force was a pointof contention among Harvard's staff from thebeginning.

The task force's recommendations were intendedto cut costs, since the University was reporting a$10 million structural deficit and Jaeger concededthat the proposed benefits reductions would savethe University about one million dollars a year.

The task force issued its report recommendingsignificant changes in the fall of 1994.

Under the expired contract, Harvard contributed85 percent of the total health costs under anyplan.

The task force recommended cutting thatpercentage for everyone except full-time workerswho makes less than $45,000 a year. Part timeworkers making less than $45,000 a year would haveonly 70 percent of their health care costs pickedup by the University.

Donene Williams president of HUCTW, saidbetween 500 and 600 Harvard employees would beaffected by this change.

Another major change recommended by theUniversity was in the area of co-payments.

Under the old package, the out-of-pocket costsper doctor visits varied with the health planemployees chose ranging between nothing and $10.

Under the new recommendations every employeewould pay $10 for each office visit.

"At $10, a visit, if you have to go to thedoctor every weeks over the course of a year,that's a lot of money," Williams says.

The task force also recommended changes toemployees' dental coverage plans.

Under the policy that expired this June,Harvard contributed between 66 and 70 percent ofall dental costs for employees. Under the new planthe University would contribute 65 percent ofcosts for full time workers and 40 percent forpart-time workers.

Williams said that while the dental changeswere important to the union they were not as majoran issue."

Aches and Pains

Both Jaeger and Williams say the mostunacceptable parts of the changes are thereductions in benefits for part-time workers.

"One of our main concerns is about the wholeset of changes the University is pursuing," Jaegersays. "The sacrifice seems badly distributed. Ithits some of the most vulnerable people thehardest."

Task force members admitted that the changeswere going to be toughest on part-time workerswhen they released their recommendations a yearago.

"The fact that the University's contributionswill be pro-rated is going to be difficult forthem," Candace R. Corvey, associate vice presidentfor human resources said last year.

When asked for a profile of a employee whowould be hurt the most by these changes Williamsreplied, "a part-time worker with a family, whereone or more people has a chronic healthcondition."

This worker would suffer because those withchronic conditions must make frequent visits totheir doctor and thus would pay more in totalco-payments.

"If you have to go to the doctor every weekover the course of a year that's a lot of money,"Williams said.

A part-time worker would also have a lowertotal percentage of medical costs paid for by theUniversity.

Jaeger said the person least affected by thechanges would be "a young healthy single personenrolled in an HMO [health maintenanceorganization] who works full-time and we certainlyhave some of those."

But Williams said that even those who are leasthurt by the changes shouldn't ignore them.

Rallying Cries

HUCTW has held several rallies this year tovoice their concerns about the new contract.

In June, the union formed its own a capellagroup which performed songs at the rallies.

"The way I plan to retire/with some dignity/Iplan to rock by the fire/No, no they can't takethat away from me," sang the group called thePipets.

In 1992, HUCTW's demonstration were far morebellicose. Union members protested outsideMassachusetts Hall, followed administrators to aretreat at the Academy of Arts and Sciences inCambridge and marched in front of President NeilL. Rudenstine's Elmwood Avenue home.

Some of the more memorable demonstrationsincluded a June protest in which union memberscarried an effigy of the vacationing Rudenstineand a Halloween event when protesters dressed incostumes and stirred a "cauldron," which theyfilled with demands.

The union also organized the largest Yardprotest in recent memory when they brought theRev. Jesse L. Jackson to speak in their favor inDecember of 1992.

Thousands gathered to hear the noted politicianand activist speak on the subject of employeerights.

Jaeger says there are many reasons why thedemonstrations are more amicable this year.

"Things did start to get sharper and morepointed in the fall and into the winter of '92,"Jaeger said in an interview last week. "This adifferent process at this point. There's morehealthy discussion going on, and it's stillearly."

"We're not yet as concerned as we came to be bythe fall or winter of '92," he added.

The Cast

The union has eight people participating in theongoing negotiations. Four are union officersincluding Williams Jaeger and Kristine Rondeau,director of University organizing for AFSCME(American Federation of State, Country andMunicipal Employees), all three of whom wereheavily involved in the 1992 negotiations.

The administration's negotiating team is led byDirector of Labor Relations Timothy R. Manning whodid not yet work at Harvard during the 1992negotiations.

Also on the administration's negotiating teamis Associate Dean for Human Resources Polly Price.The third member Lianne Sullivan, assistantdirector for labor relations is the onlyadministrative negotiator who was involved in pastnegotiations.

Not Alone

HUCTW is not the only organization to expressunhappiness with the proposed benefits changes.Earlier this year the Faculty of Arts and Sciences(FAS) protested the changes, especially a onepercent reduction to the University's pensioncontribution.

Irate professors spent hours at facultymeetings lambasting the administration for itsproposed changes.

As a result of the uproar, Dean of the FacultyJeremy R. Knowles appointed two professors toexamine the task force's review an unprecedentedmove.

The two professors McKay Professor ofMechanical Engineering Frederick H. Abernathy andGund Professor of Economics and Business RichardE. Caves, criticized the task force's reviewsaying that faculty were not given an opportunityto participate in changes that affect them.

The faculty uproar over benefits led to theformation of a faculty committee on benefitschaired by Professor of Sociology Peter V.Marsden.

The Marsden committee recommended rolling backthe one percent reduction in benefits and imposinga "soft cap" to link the University's contributionto post retirement health care coverage with risesin health care costs.

A standing University-wide Committee onBenefits, consisting of both faculty andadministrators was also formed to serve as an"early-warning" system to examine future benefitschanges for all the University faculties.

However the formation of these committees didnot put the issue to rest.

In late April the Corporation the more powerfulof Harvard's two governing bodies rejected thefaculty's request to roll back the one percentreduction although it did approve the compromiseof a "soft cap."

At the May 2nd faculty meeting FAS voted toendorse the Marsden committee's report despite theCorporation's action.

Faculty members also restated their objectionsto the changes and reiterated their complaints onnot being consulted for the changes.

Jaeger said that some of the faculty's concernsabout the review process paralleled those ofHUCTW.

"Members of HUCTW have basically the sameconcerns as the faculty about exclusion from thebenefits review process and the flawed ideas thatresulted," Jaeger said at HUCTW's rally in June.

Resolved Soon?

Members of the union and the administrationhave been meeting everyday, either in subgroups oras a full team.

Although Touborg would not speculate on howlong the negotiations would last she said,"everyone is hopefull."

And while Jaeger stresses that the union willfight for an acceptable contract he hopes thenegotiations will conclude promptly.

"The sooner, the better," he said in aninterview last week."CrimsonAndrea Perini

The task force of 10-top level Harvardadministrators spent most of last year evaluatingthe benefits for faculty and staff. The alladministrator makeup of the task force was a pointof contention among Harvard's staff from thebeginning.

The task force's recommendations were intendedto cut costs, since the University was reporting a$10 million structural deficit and Jaeger concededthat the proposed benefits reductions would savethe University about one million dollars a year.

The task force issued its report recommendingsignificant changes in the fall of 1994.

Under the expired contract, Harvard contributed85 percent of the total health costs under anyplan.

The task force recommended cutting thatpercentage for everyone except full-time workerswho makes less than $45,000 a year. Part timeworkers making less than $45,000 a year would haveonly 70 percent of their health care costs pickedup by the University.

Donene Williams president of HUCTW, saidbetween 500 and 600 Harvard employees would beaffected by this change.

Another major change recommended by theUniversity was in the area of co-payments.

Under the old package, the out-of-pocket costsper doctor visits varied with the health planemployees chose ranging between nothing and $10.

Under the new recommendations every employeewould pay $10 for each office visit.

"At $10, a visit, if you have to go to thedoctor every weeks over the course of a year,that's a lot of money," Williams says.

The task force also recommended changes toemployees' dental coverage plans.

Under the policy that expired this June,Harvard contributed between 66 and 70 percent ofall dental costs for employees. Under the new planthe University would contribute 65 percent ofcosts for full time workers and 40 percent forpart-time workers.

Williams said that while the dental changeswere important to the union they were not as majoran issue."

Aches and Pains

Both Jaeger and Williams say the mostunacceptable parts of the changes are thereductions in benefits for part-time workers.

"One of our main concerns is about the wholeset of changes the University is pursuing," Jaegersays. "The sacrifice seems badly distributed. Ithits some of the most vulnerable people thehardest."

Task force members admitted that the changeswere going to be toughest on part-time workerswhen they released their recommendations a yearago.

"The fact that the University's contributionswill be pro-rated is going to be difficult forthem," Candace R. Corvey, associate vice presidentfor human resources said last year.

When asked for a profile of a employee whowould be hurt the most by these changes Williamsreplied, "a part-time worker with a family, whereone or more people has a chronic healthcondition."

This worker would suffer because those withchronic conditions must make frequent visits totheir doctor and thus would pay more in totalco-payments.

"If you have to go to the doctor every weekover the course of a year that's a lot of money,"Williams said.

A part-time worker would also have a lowertotal percentage of medical costs paid for by theUniversity.

Jaeger said the person least affected by thechanges would be "a young healthy single personenrolled in an HMO [health maintenanceorganization] who works full-time and we certainlyhave some of those."

But Williams said that even those who are leasthurt by the changes shouldn't ignore them.

Rallying Cries

HUCTW has held several rallies this year tovoice their concerns about the new contract.

In June, the union formed its own a capellagroup which performed songs at the rallies.

"The way I plan to retire/with some dignity/Iplan to rock by the fire/No, no they can't takethat away from me," sang the group called thePipets.

In 1992, HUCTW's demonstration were far morebellicose. Union members protested outsideMassachusetts Hall, followed administrators to aretreat at the Academy of Arts and Sciences inCambridge and marched in front of President NeilL. Rudenstine's Elmwood Avenue home.

Some of the more memorable demonstrationsincluded a June protest in which union memberscarried an effigy of the vacationing Rudenstineand a Halloween event when protesters dressed incostumes and stirred a "cauldron," which theyfilled with demands.

The union also organized the largest Yardprotest in recent memory when they brought theRev. Jesse L. Jackson to speak in their favor inDecember of 1992.

Thousands gathered to hear the noted politicianand activist speak on the subject of employeerights.

Jaeger says there are many reasons why thedemonstrations are more amicable this year.

"Things did start to get sharper and morepointed in the fall and into the winter of '92,"Jaeger said in an interview last week. "This adifferent process at this point. There's morehealthy discussion going on, and it's stillearly."

"We're not yet as concerned as we came to be bythe fall or winter of '92," he added.

The Cast

The union has eight people participating in theongoing negotiations. Four are union officersincluding Williams Jaeger and Kristine Rondeau,director of University organizing for AFSCME(American Federation of State, Country andMunicipal Employees), all three of whom wereheavily involved in the 1992 negotiations.

The administration's negotiating team is led byDirector of Labor Relations Timothy R. Manning whodid not yet work at Harvard during the 1992negotiations.

Also on the administration's negotiating teamis Associate Dean for Human Resources Polly Price.The third member Lianne Sullivan, assistantdirector for labor relations is the onlyadministrative negotiator who was involved in pastnegotiations.

Not Alone

HUCTW is not the only organization to expressunhappiness with the proposed benefits changes.Earlier this year the Faculty of Arts and Sciences(FAS) protested the changes, especially a onepercent reduction to the University's pensioncontribution.

Irate professors spent hours at facultymeetings lambasting the administration for itsproposed changes.

As a result of the uproar, Dean of the FacultyJeremy R. Knowles appointed two professors toexamine the task force's review an unprecedentedmove.

The two professors McKay Professor ofMechanical Engineering Frederick H. Abernathy andGund Professor of Economics and Business RichardE. Caves, criticized the task force's reviewsaying that faculty were not given an opportunityto participate in changes that affect them.

The faculty uproar over benefits led to theformation of a faculty committee on benefitschaired by Professor of Sociology Peter V.Marsden.

The Marsden committee recommended rolling backthe one percent reduction in benefits and imposinga "soft cap" to link the University's contributionto post retirement health care coverage with risesin health care costs.

A standing University-wide Committee onBenefits, consisting of both faculty andadministrators was also formed to serve as an"early-warning" system to examine future benefitschanges for all the University faculties.

However the formation of these committees didnot put the issue to rest.

In late April the Corporation the more powerfulof Harvard's two governing bodies rejected thefaculty's request to roll back the one percentreduction although it did approve the compromiseof a "soft cap."

At the May 2nd faculty meeting FAS voted toendorse the Marsden committee's report despite theCorporation's action.

Faculty members also restated their objectionsto the changes and reiterated their complaints onnot being consulted for the changes.

Jaeger said that some of the faculty's concernsabout the review process paralleled those ofHUCTW.

"Members of HUCTW have basically the sameconcerns as the faculty about exclusion from thebenefits review process and the flawed ideas thatresulted," Jaeger said at HUCTW's rally in June.

Resolved Soon?

Members of the union and the administrationhave been meeting everyday, either in subgroups oras a full team.

Although Touborg would not speculate on howlong the negotiations would last she said,"everyone is hopefull."

And while Jaeger stresses that the union willfight for an acceptable contract he hopes thenegotiations will conclude promptly.

"The sooner, the better," he said in aninterview last week."CrimsonAndrea Perini