Other members see the Union's move as wisdomrather than weakness.
"I thought it was a very good strategic move onthe Union's part," said Laura Johnson, a staffassistant in the history department, who has beena HUCTW member since 1984.
"I've been through the Union's whole history soI'm well aware of the progress the Union's made,"Johnson said. HUCTW will be celebrating its tenthbirthday this year.
"The Union's usually not pressured intoanything that we don't think is good to all ofus," O'Connell said.
Merry Touborg, a spokesperson for the Office ofHuman Resources, said the University is notdivulging the contents of the new contract untilafter the vote. She referred questions about thespeed of negotiations to HUCTW leadership.
The extension was a chance for HUCTW to "goforward without having a full-scale negotiation,"Touborg said.
HUCTW and the University have on-goingcommunications despite the vacancy left byManning, according to Touborg