The Harvard Union of Clerical and Technial Workers and the University agreed yesterday that mediation would help speed contract negotiations, but the sides continued to discuss the conditions of such a move.

"Harvard is very much in favor of the mediated approach," John H. Shattuck, vice president for government, community and public affairs, said yesterday. Union leaders said earlier this week that they favor mediation.

Still at issue, according to union and management officials, were who the mediator would be, when mediation will begin andground rules for the mediated negotiations.

The contract talks have been going slowly, and the old contract expired June 30.

Shattuck said the move toward meditation is "definitely a sign of

progress" in the negotiations. Union ChiefNegotiator Bill Jaeger agreed, saying thatmanagement's willingness to participate inmediated negotiation showed "seriousness," andthat it would allow more intensive talks.

Jaeger said mediation could allow for "roundthe clock" negotiation. He said the union isenthusiastic about such an arrangement. "At thispoint...we're very conscious of the fact thatwe're three weeks past the expiration of our oldagreement Jaeger said.

Jaeger said it is possible that a mediatormight be drawn from a list of four academicsagreed to in a side letter to the last agreement.He also said the 3600-member union has distributed15,000 copies of an open letter to the HarvardCommunity.

The strongly-worded open letter argues that"What's good for clerical and technical workers isgood for Harvard.