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Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the Jan. 2, 1997
issue of Workers World newspaper
-------------------------Yale workers win job guarantees
By Judi Cheng
Less than two weeks after a mass demonstration in which 300 strikers and supporters were arrested for blocking public streets in New Haven, Conn., the administration of Yale University bowed to the demands of its clerical and technical staff.
On Dec. 19, locals 34 and 35 of the Federation of University Employees announced they had reached tentative agreements for new contracts with Yale University. The pacts were unanimously recommended by the negotiating committees for the two campus unions.
The struggle at Yale has lasted more than a year. The main issue was that Yale University, a rich Ivy League school in an increasingly poor city, wanted to eliminate union jobs by subcontracting.
The workers waged a month-long strike last winter. They went back to work without a contract but began to wage a national campaign to gain political support for their demands. Last Memorial Day, thousands of New England trade unionists, civil rights and women's rights groups rallied in New Haven to support the Yale workers.
At a press conference, Local 35 President Bob Proto was enthusiastic about the new six-year pacts. "We have achieved an extraordinary victory, despite enormous odds for working families throughout New Haven. By coming together as a community, we have been able to stop Yale's plan to destroy decent jobs."
Local 34 President Laura Smith added, "We all have cause to celebrate today, thanks to the courage and determination of our membership and the heroic efforts of the clergy, elected officials and community activists throughout this region. These contracts offer the best job security provisions in the country."
The provisions of the new contract include wage increases averaging 4.7 percent a year for six years and curbing university subcontracting practices. No current or future employee in Local 35 can be laid off during the next 10 years. No workers can have their hours, labor grades, or classifications reduced because of subcontracting.
Local 34 employees in two departments where there may be future layoffs get extra notice and training opportunities.
No subcontracting will be permitted in Yale dining halls. New employees in up to four fast-food snack units will also be covered by the union contract and have full bidding rights for other positions as they open up on campus.
The jobs of part-time workers who make up 75 percent of the custodial service department are protected under the new agreement from losing work to outsourcing.
Workers averaging 20 hours a week over a 26-week period will get benefits and a guaranteed minimum schedule of 20 hours a week.
Employees without permanent schedules immediately become part of Local 35 as a result of a 61 to 2 vote. All subcontract employees will receive a minimum wage of $7 per hour, which will increase by 3 percent per year over the life of the contract.
The new agreement also retains full health-care benefits for retirees and their dependents and improves the existing pension plan.
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