Harvard and its Union of Clerical and Technical Workers are currently discussing bringing in a mediator to move along contract renegotiation talks, according to union officials.

The contract talks have been going slowly, and the University's current contract with the 3500 member union expired June 30.

Union President Donene M. Williams said she is encouraged that Harvard has asked the union to consider mediation.

"I am really hoping a mediator will help the University be able to make some movement," Williams said yesterday.

The University and the union used mediators during the last contract talks.

"Our negotiations in 1989 were extensively mediated...we think that was invaluable," said chief union negotiator Bill Jaegar.

Williams said she also hopes a mediator will help Harvard "develop a cohesive position on the proposals we've made." She said that now, the management negotiating team is unified on some issues but presents individual opinions on others.

Management spokespeople have repeatedly denied accusations of disunity.

At least one eminent mediator has already been offered a role in the negotiations, but he declined. James J. Healy '40, McLean professor of business administration emeritus, reached yesterday by telephone at his Cape Cod home, said that he had been contacted several weeks ago by parties involved in the negotiations.

Healy, who mediated the last contract negotiations between Harvard and the Union of Clerical and Technical Workers, said other commitments prevented him from mediating the current round of negotiations.

Healy, who Williams described as a "very, very experienced and skilled mediator," said a mediator can serve as "a catalytic agent who is presumed to be neutral and acceptable to both sides."

A mediator, Healy said, often "brings a newinsight at the bargaining table." Also, he saidthat parties sometimes reach a better agreement bycommunicating honestly with a mediator rather thanusing tactics at a bargaining table.

Williams said the union supports the idea amediation, but is seeking "assurances that[management is] committed to the process."

Harvard President Neil L. Rudenstine has saidthat mediation is a possible alternative if bothnegotiating teams agree to it.

With or without a mediator, the negotiatingteams have a tough task ahead, according toRudenstine.

"Look, it's a really hard problem," Rudenstinesaid in a Crimson interview Friday. "You havepeople who are working hard, and who, like a lotof people in the University and like a lot ofpeople in society, are not making a lot of money.At the same time you have institutions that arefinancially pressed."

"There isn't an easy solution, there reallyisn't," Rudenstine said.

The Harvard president took the unusual step ofpraising the union leaders who earlier criticizedhim for leaving the country during a difficultperiod in the negotiations.

"I think the union people are lucky to haveextremely serious people who care about theUniversity and who are committed to an outcomethat's going to help the institutions as well asthe union," Rudenstine said. He called the unionleaders "good, excellent people who work hard forthe University."

Rudenstine was optimistic about the end resultsof the negotiations. "I think we have a good shotat coming out alright," he said, holding out thegoal of "a good agreement that both sides aresatisfied with."

Union leaders said the chances for an outcomefavorable to both sides might be improved with theaddition of a mediator