The University released the following letter on Friday following a meeting with student protesters:

May 11, 2007
Student Labor Action Movement
Phillips Brooks House
Harvard Yard
Cambridge, MA 02138

Dear Members of the Student Labor Action Movement:

In response to the requests contained in the petition entitled “Stand for Security”, we are very pleased to reaffirm our ongoing commitment to the principles and implementing recommendations set forth in the Harvard Committee on Employment and Contracting Policies’ (the Committee) final report issued on December 19, 2001. In so doing, the University endorses the carefully considered findings of a committee of eleven faculty members, four students, three union representatives, and two administrators charged with reviewing concerns similar to those raised in your petition. As in 2001, we believe the Committee’s recommendations should continue to inform our employment policies related to service workers at Harvard.

1. With regard to wages and benefits, we confirm the Committee’s principles that: Harvard has an obligation to be a good employer to fulfill its teaching and research missions. A good employer provides the wages, benefits, and other conditions of employment necessary to attract, retain, and motivate employees. Attaining these personnel-related outcomes requires compensation levels that significantly contribute to ensuring that Harvard's workers and their families enjoy at least a minimally decent standard of living. Harvard should aspire to be an exemplary employer for all its workers.

2. With regard to the duty owed to all campus workers we reaffirm that: Although the University does not have equivalent direct obligations to the employees of contractors as it does to its own employees, the University's employment and contracting practices should reflect a humane concern for the well-being of all individuals who work at Harvard, regardless of whether they are directly-employed for Harvard or work on campus for a contractor.

3. With regard to outsourcing we reaffirm that: Harvard should not use outsourcing to undermine its obligations to be a good employer and to bargain in good faith with its unionized employees. Outsourcing should not be used to lower wages and weaken the unions representing Harvard's employees. Similarly, the University should not inappropriately use casual employees in a manner inconsistent with its stated policies and to get around its collective bargaining obligations.

4. With regard to support for the principle of due process and fair treatment we reconfirm that: all employees on the Harvard campus should be treated with dignity and respect by supervisors, fellow workers, and other members of the Harvard community. A good employer's policies and actual practices contribute to the positive community interactions of students, faculty, staff, and other on-campus workers that are a vital part of Harvard's educational and research missions. No employees at Harvard should be subject to intimidation, retaliation, or abuse by supervisors or others in authority positions relative to the workers.

We remain committed to implementing these principles through the Committee’s recommendations regarding WBPP. To that end, we expect the results of a WBPP compliance audit of AlliedBarton Security Services shortly. We will share the results of the audit broadly, and would be happy to meet with representatives of your organization and other members of the community to discuss the findings and related areas of interest. We will meet as soon as possible after the audit is complete which we expect to be the week of May 14, 2007. The University is open to more than one meeting to discuss these issues.

Finally, at the conclusion of the current negotiations between Allied Barton and SEIU we, as always, would be pleased to meet with you or other concerned members of the community (the final composition tbd) if concerns remain.

Again as we have said in our private conversations we look forward to the opportunity for continued dialogue on matters of common concern.

Sincerely,
Marilyn M. Hausammann
Vice President for Human Resources