Steiner pointed to the troubles Yale is having and said, "An involvement of an outside organization and relationship at Harvard is not necessarily a good thing."
How Harvard would oppose a potentially viable union drive remains to be seen, but before the earlier elections the University mounted a strong propaganda campaign, promoting their policies and criticising the union.
One factor in Harvard's favor is its well-defined salary scale and job development program, something Yale does not have for its clerical and technical workers.
Since union activity started in the Medical Area 10 years ago, the issues have remained largely unchanged. But the union does take credit for pressuring Harvard into increasing some wages and benefits and improving working conditions.
However, Rondeau points out that 82 percent of those eligible for membership if unionization is successful are women, who are traditionally lower-paid than men. And the union has not backed off its call for a fairer grievance procedure, higher pay, a dental plan, comprehensive health insurance and daycare.
Steiner, however, contends that the University's policies are fair and said he has never seen "a union program that addresses personnel concerns in a way better than they are now being addressed at Harvard."