Yale union workers demonstrate after meeting
On the heels of a last-minute agreement between Harvard University and its union workers, the Ivy League is experiencing more union unrest.
According to the Yale Daily News, two unions of blue-collar workers at Yale University demonstrated Wednesday night after a meeting.
Over 1,200 members attended the closed-door meeting between Local 34 and Local 35, the unions that contain clerical, technical and maintenance workers at Yale, the Yale Daily News reports. Many stayed after to participate in the demonstration.
Secretary-Treasurer of Local 34 Ken Suzuki noted that the two unions were increasing the intensity of contract discussions before the coming expiration date in January 2017. In contrast to the typical procedure of negotiating wages after benefits, the unions are making demands for both at the same time, protracting negotiations.
A big issue is a planned reduction in benefits for future union members. President of Local 34 Laurie Kennington affirmed that the two unions are unwilling to accept this reduction for future members as part of a compromise to secure their own benefits.
Another problem stems from Yale’s planned increasing in the size of its student body by 20 percent. The Yale Daily News reports the Yale continues to cut Local 34 staff and has not hired a corresponding increased number of staffers to fully staff two new college houses.
Still, Kennington noted that the university had been open to hearing union concerns.
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