the guy by the door …

An open letter to Mr. T.J. Gray hired from Security Systems International to orchestrate the replacement of Union labor in the Security subdepartment of the Harvard College Library.  Due to labor activism of a sort, the contract guards are represented by SEIU, but they are still contract workers and can be let go if administration replaces Securitas as a “vendor”.  We could, I suppose, hope that the Wikileaks inspired “Arab Summer” will wash ashore on the Charles. I think it wiser to oppose the multiplicity of incremental attacks on Union labor. Administration has already begun cutting benefits to retirees.

Tim:

“Are you still beating your wife?”
-Anonymous

 

Hopefully, you will agree that this does not constitute good faith communication and does not deserve an answer. I admit that this question is more hyperbolic than any you or young Mr. Graves has put to me, but it illustrates the point. It is possible to bias a question in a manner which is blatantly unfair. In our case, the questions being put are more subtle, but are still unfair.

“Which of these schedules which blatantly violate your terms of employment do you choose?”

Since the end of the regular session I have received no communication from you or Mr. Graves that included the full hours of my appointment. When I told him that I wanted my full hours and proposed a schedule. He said simply, “I don’t have those hours”. If you hired too many contract workers, that it an issue of your capability as a manager. It does not abrogate your responsibilty to abide by the terms of the Union contract.

Several years ago, when you instituted a timesheet system private to HCL facilities, I had extensive discussions with you and Ms. Diane Cox of HR about the meaning of the “Fixed Schedule”. The resolution was that it represented my hours during the regular term. During intersession I would still get my appointment hours but they would be on a different schedule. You affixed to the timesheets of your own design, the disclaimer that I [or any other employee] would not always work their “fixed schedule”. Ms. Cox represented to me that the “fixed schedule” was in fact an accounting convenience to accomodate the PeopleSoft accounting system.

Now you have unilaterally adopted the policy that union members will work their “fixed schedule”, except when it’s inconvenient for you and the contract workers. The disclaimer has disappeared. Since I do not agree to this unilateral policy and hereby file a past practice grievance, I do not want to sign anything that might jeopardize adjudication on this point.
I point out to all concerned that you have repeatedly instructed me to sign documents with benefit of knowledge or counsel.

Young Mr. Graves has offered me, a schedule for this week of 18.5 hours, 2.75 hours short of my appointment. So it’s unclear whether my forced vacation is over and I can meet with you as requested. However, in the spirit of “jointness”, I will be on campus at 4:00 PM. If you can magically “find” 2.75 hours. Geoff Carens and I will be glad to meet with you. I should advise you however, I find it hard to see, based on my experience of you, that you will make the changes necessary to avoid furtherance in the grievance process.

Sincerely,

Philip R. Fenstermacher Ph.D.