“There is a deep, long-standing commitment to listen to each other through networks of conversations,” Jaeger said. “The hopes and concerns of our members are really the only input into our negotiating agenda.”
According to HUCTW’s letter, about 500 union members participated in lunchtime meetings prior to the start of negotiations, and over 2,000 have taken the union’s online survey.
Jaeger reiterated that layoffs and job security continue to be a priority for HUCTW leadership, especially with respect to library workers. Jaeger pointed to the discussions in the three Joint Councils as an example.
“We’ve got a great record of negotiating to reorganize without layoffs and an even better record of taking people who do get laid off and putting them into Harvard jobs so that they don’t lose any income,” Jaeger said. “I think we are winning the fight against [library] layoffs in those conversations and we are going to keep fighting until it is clear that they are not going to happen.”
—Staff writer Dan Dou can be reached at ddou@college.harvard.edu.
—Staff writer Sam Y. Weinstock can be reached at sweinstock@college.harvard.edu.