After allowing the directorship of its labor relations department to remain vacant for more than a year, the Office of Human Resources has named an outsider to begin the task of improving Harvard's strained relations with its unions.
Timothy Manning, the former manager of human resources at Raytheon Corporation's missile systems division, began work as director of labor relations last week. Manning, 42, is responsible for administering six collective bargaining agreements with Harvard's five unions.
The new director said in an interview yesterday that as an outsider to Harvard he would try to learn more about the University and apply lessons learned at Raytheon to his job here.
"Most of my experience has been in a manufacturing environment," Manning said. "But the kinds of innovation you need at Harvard are not that different. It's still getting people working together."
Diane Patrick, the director of the Office of Human Resources, made Manning's biggest impact could come in thestalemated negotiations between Harvard and itspolice officers' union. The University's patrolofficers have been working without a contract for16 months. This fall, in an apparent effort to forceHarvard to raise its offer of a 2.6 percent wageincrease, the union's president, Robert Kotowski,has taken several complaints about the policedepartment administration public. Kotowski indicated yesterday that he saw roomfor progress in negotiations under Manning'sinfluence. "I have heard good things about him and amoptimistic that he could modernize the way thatthe University deals with its employees," Kotowskisaid. "The way they do it now is so archaic." Manning said he would consider argumentsoffered by both the police union and theUniversity before deciding whether to change thecourse of the negotiations. Patrick did not return a phone call to her homeyesterday. Patrick acknowledged in an interview lastspring that the search to replace Rubeski hadmeandered at times. The search, administrationsources say, was delayed for months while theUniversity negotiated last fall with its largestunion, the Harvard Union of Clerical and TechnicalWorkers. Manning said he applied for the job thissummer, was interviewed repeatedly in August andSeptember and was offered the post last month. Donene M. Williams, president of the Clericaland Technical Workers Union, said yesterday thatManning would likely be judged by the highstandard set by his predecessor, Rubeski. "Vivienne Rubeski was so talented in this areathat anyone who will follow her really has achallenge," Williams said. "I think since Vivienneleft the University has lacked a coherent visionof how they want to deal with the unions." Union officials have criticized AssociateDirector for Labor Relations Carolyn R. Young '76,who has led the office in the absence of adirector, for being inflexible in handling workercomplaints and contract negotiations. "I'd like to see fairness from Manning," saidStephen G. McCombe, a security guard and vocalcritic of the University's handling of laborissues. "And if the University is wrong, I'd liketo see some reversals on grievances. We haven'tseen that with Carolyn Young." Young was also considered as a candidate forthe directorship, sources said. Young did notreturn a phone call from The Crimson this week. While at Raytheon, Manning worked withemployees as the company moved into non-defenseindustries. And as the head of corporate laborrelations at the company's Lexington, Mass.headquarters, Manning negotiated contracts withthe company's unions. "I haven't had any conversations with unionsoutside the University about him," said Williams."The things I've generally heard said is he's adecent guy to work with." According to this month's issue of the HarvardCommunity Resource, Manning received hisundergraduate degree from Holy Cross College andhis masters degree in business administration fromNortheastern University. He lives in Duxbury,Mass. with his wife and two children
Read more in News
Firms Attend Career Forum
