Epps Agrees to Meet Living Wage Protestors

In response to recent demonstrations in front of the Science Center and Mass. Hall, Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III has agreed to meet with representatives of the Harvard Living Wage Campaign.

The meeting, which will also be attended by an as-yet-unnamed University representative, will be held March 9.

"[We are] most anxious to explore the issue so that each side can start from the same factual basis," Epps said.

Organizers originally had hoped to meet with either President Neil L. Rudenstine or Provost Harvey V. Fineberg '67.

During last Friday's demonstration, they left a note at Mass. Hall requesting a time to meet with them.

"The president or provost need to be present. Their absence at the meeting would be an absence from the process of implementing a living wage across the University," said Christopher J. Vaeth, a second-year student at the divinity school and one of the campaign organizers.

Epps said he could represent the University in this situation.

"Since this is a student movement, it seems appropriate that the dean of students will host the meeting." he said.

The scheduled meeting comes after nearly two weeks of correspondence between campaign organizers and University officials.

On Feb. 17, members of the campaign, which is an offshoot of the Progressive Student Labor Movement, sent a letter making their first request to meet with either Rudenstine or Fineberg.

Director of Labor and Employee Relations Kim A. Roberts wrote back on Feb. 24 without officially responding to the group's demand that the University set a $10 per hour minimum wage for all its employees.

Roberts also did not respond to their request for a meeting, instead thanking the students for recognizing the importance of adequate wages, benefits and equal employment opportunities for all workers.

"We will continue in our effort to balance our fiduciary responsibilities to our students and their families with our interest in promoting standards for good wages, benefits and employment opportunities for trades and service employees and to be fair to all concerns," Roberts wrote.

At a previously scheduled rally two days later, protesters reiterated their demands.

At the meeting, campaign representatives said they will "Present a simple demand of a minimum $10 per hour living wage for all service workers at Harvard," Vaeth said.

According to a letter sent by campaign organizers to Rudenstine and Fineberg, "more than 1,000 employees earn less than $10 per hour."

Citing Harvard's $13 billion endowment, Vaeth said he believes Harvard could easily afford the wage increase.

"It'd be a drop in the bucket," Vaeth said.

In 1994 Harvard initiated a fundraising campaign that has so far netted $1.9 billion, on target to beat its $2.1 billion goal by the end of the year.

But Merry D. Toughborg, director of communications for the Office of Human Resources, disagreed.

"It's problematic anytime the [size of Harvard's] endowment is raised to support increased spending," she said.

"The use of most of the money in the endowment is restricted for particular use by donors. The endowment is not a bank that [we] can go to at will."

Andrew K. Tiedemann, director of communications for the University Development Office, says there is little money for wage increases.

"Most money is directed toward renovation, increasing financial aid and fellowships," he said.

Still, the campaign organizers believe that establishing the minimum wage is feasible and that students ought to be involved

"Students are in the most convenient position [to affect change]," Vaeth said. "We don't have jobs to lose. Some workers are afraid to be at the campaign because they might be seen. They're contracted out and are easily replaced."