Domenic G. D'Ippolito yesterday claimed that his loss to incumbent Joe Sullivan in the election held last week for the presidency of Local 26 was the result of a management conspiracy.
"I did not get defeated by the people. I got defeated by the managers who terrorized the workers," D'Ippolito, former secretary-treasurer of the union, said. "I think management controls the local unions," he added.
D'Ippolito said that management people both drove union members to the election and were present at the voting places.
Fred Walden, chief shop steward for Harvard dining halls and the newly-elected vice-president who ran with Sullivan, said "the election D'Ippolito was running was like a 1934 gangster-style election."
He said the Sullivan group sponsored buses for pro-Sullivan members going to the election center, but he added, "We did not tell the people who to vote for."
He added there is "no truth" in D'Ippolito's allegations.
Sullivan Support
Walden said that 60 per cent of Harvard dining workers voted in the election.
Ninety to 95 per cent of those voting supported Sullivan, John P. Shaffer, shop steward for five of the House dining halls, said yesterday.
He added, "I am very glad D'Ippolito is out of the union now."
Full House
Walden said that Sullivan won support at Harvard because the Sullivan slate contained four Harvard workers. The D'Ippolito slate, however, contained no Harvard employees.
"This means that we can get Sullivan to do the right things by us," Shaffer added.
The Harvard workers will negotiate a new contract with University officials in June. Shaffer said, however, that the election would have no effect on the negotiations. "What we plan to go to the table with is what the workers want."
"It does not matter whether Sullivan agrees with our demands or not, he still has to support us," Shaffer added.
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