"The University was interested in negotiatingthe increase in contract years because they wereconcerned about the labor situation with Manningleaving," Jaeger says.

Manning, an experienced labor negotiator, iswidely credited with breaking the deadlock on thehealth care and benefits dispute which stymiedrelations between the union and the Universitybetween 1992 and 1997.

"He was a skilled labor relations expert whoworked well with both the University and theunion," says Polly Price, associate vice presidentfor human resources at Harvard.

Union members say working with Manning made iteasier to resolve their concerns without resortingto arbitration or strikes.

"Having someone with good, solid laborrelations experience and an openness to ourphilosophy of unionism enabled us to make somegreat leaps forward," says Adrienne Landau, amember of Hutch's executive board.

Although most of the content of Harvard's laborpolicy is determined by top administrators, unionleaders say Manning's negotiating skill created apositive atmosphere which future negotiators willhave to work hard to reproduce.

"It'll have an impact when a new laborrelations director is hired, and there are someskills and personality traits which we'reinterested in," Jaeger says. "We're watchingcarefully to see how the search process is goingto go."

This year, the director of labor relations posthas been filled by Joy Curtis, a temporaryreplacement hired from an outside firm. Universityofficials say they expect a permanent appointmentto be made by September.

"I feel fairly confident that we'll havesomeone when classes start in the fall," Pricesays.

In fact, union officials say they are confidentthat they will be able to negotiate with theUniversity regardless of whether a new director isappointed quickly.

"We end up having a network of relationshipswith a broad range of people," Jaeger says. "Laborrelations are too big a structure to restprimarily on one manager's shoulders."

Union officials say much of the differencebetween successful and unsuccessful labornegotiations may come from higher up in UniversityHall.

Carnesale was Harvard's provost during theheight of tension between HUCTW and theUniversity, and some union members say the arrivallast fall of Harvey V. Fineberg '67 eased tensionsbetween the two groups.

"The type of adversarial relationship that weinitially had with University Hall under Carnesaleis over....We have great hope because of previouspositive work with Provost Fineberg," Landau says.

A Natural Evolution?