The status of fewer than 100 support staff workers could hold the key for an upcoming vote on union representation for 4000 Harvard employees.

At a meeting today, lawyers from the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (HUCTW) and the University will argue whether a small number of employees should be allowed to participate in a referendum on union representation. The meeting, which follows an earlier discussion late last month, will be mediated by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in its regional headquarters in Boston.

Both sides agree that these workers, who constitute less than 3 percent of the voting pool, are not being fought over because their votes are likely to change the outcome of the election.

Instead, HUCTW supporters consider such discussions to be critical because they fear protracted debate over even a handful of workers could delay a vote and hurt their chances for winning an election. In recent bargaining sessions, HUCTW Director Kris Rondeau has agreed to omit workers whose eligibility has been contested by the University.

HUCTW filed for an election last month, and if there were no delay a vote would usually take place within 60 days from the filing date.

But according to Anne H. Taylor, the University's anti-union strategist, the process of defining voter eligibility is not cut and dry, and may need to be adjudicated by the NLRB. She added thatboth sides are legally bound to determine whoshould be represented by a newly formed union.

Where the two sides disagree most is whether itis necessary to hold hearings to settle suchdisputes, and whether litigation would seriouslydelay a vote.

"There are workers whose employment status ishard for us to determine," said Diane Patrick, theUniversity attorney who is handling the casebefore the NLRB. "We think the NLRB shoulddetermine the legality of some of the borderlinecases."

Ronda said that she has spoken with all theworkers whose eligibility has been questioned bythe University and they have agreed that a quickunion election for all the support staff is moreimportant than time-consuming hearings about a fewworkers.

The union organizer said that if the Universitywould oppose the inclusion of certain workers,instead of just raising questions about theireligibility, it would be easier to arrange a vote.

"There is a catagory of people who they areusing to prevent negotiation because they areusing to prevent negotiation because they refuseto take a position," she said.

Ronda said the University was trying to delayan election for strategic purposes. Both sideshave agreed that the more a vote is delayed themore it hurts union support.

At a rally in front of the Holyoke Centeryesterday, one of a series of such protests, about50 employees and union supporters asserted thatthe issue for HUCTW is still a quick election.Singing and waving signs at the 8th flooradministrative offices, the demonstrators urgedthe University to agree to "negotiation, notlitigation."

Taylor, said yesterday, however, that shethinks the election will occur in late May orearly June, despite arguments over eligibility.

"We never had any intention of prolonging theelection process," she said