"I have watched other negotiations and seen other negotiators be threatened to have their jobs contracted out," says Williams. "That's why we try to stick together; they try to push unions around."

It's the Economy

Harvard counters the unions' charges by pointing out that Harvard workers are, in fact, treated very well compared to similarly skilled workers outside of the University.

"We're looking at 1999," says University spokesperson Joe Wrinn. "Attempts are being made to bring the unions more into line with economic reality in the ballpark of what the market is willing to pay for these services."

Furthermore, Wrinn says, by signing the contract a union acknowledges that Harvard negotiated in good faith.

"Through collective bargaining agreements the unions have agreed to contracts they have," he says. "We assume that's a symbol of fairness and equity in negotiations."

Wrinn says Harvard cannot allow worker demands to override the mission of the University.

"Harvard regards employees as support for the mission of the University," he says. "There's a balance that goes on between the mission of the University in teaching and education and the support services that go into that."

Under Investigation

Still, to answer complaints about the lack of a $10 "living wage" for all Harvard employees, the University recently appointed an ad hoc Faculty committee which could examine the tactic of using outsourcing as a way to leverage small unions.

"We are concerned with the casual payroll, living wage issue and its context," says committee chair D. Quinn Mills, who is the Weatherhead professor of business administration at the Harvard Business School. "We are looking at the casual payroll in context of the overall University payroll, so I assume the answer is yes [the committee will examine the unions]."

The charge to the committee is sufficiently broad to include investigations of Harvard's unions and their relation to outside economic forces.

"The charge to the Ad Hoc Committee on Employment Policies is to review the University's current policies with regard to this contingent workforce, and to make recommendations as necessary," the official University mandate reads. "The focus will be on data and analysis including demographics, total compensation, and types of jobs in light of Harvard's existing policies and the relevant external markets."

The committee, however, is still in its earliest stages and has not yet met with the union representatives.

"We are starting to arrange meeting with one of the unions, but that has not yet occurred," Mills says.