Harvard Student Workers Union Rally For Harassment Protection

CAMBRIDGE, MA —Following a couple of high-profile cases and an increase in sexual harassment complaints at the university, hundreds of Harvard student workers Wednesday brought signs outside the science buildings on campus in an effort to draw attention to ongoing contract negotiations between the union and school on the level of protection from sexual harassment.

"What do we want? A contract! When do we want it? Now," the shouts rang out.

Harvard student workers, who unionized last year, say the University has a #MeToo problem. Now they want Harvard to implement protections against discrimination and sexual harassment on the job and that those protections be guaranteed through a union contract.

But Harvard officials say the union has proposed grievances and arbitration rights that would skip over a detailed investigatory process already in place meant to ensure thoroughness, fair play and due process for the complainant and respondent.

"An independent arbitrator would have no legal power to issue sanctions or any form of punishment on an offending faculty, student or employee," said a school spokesperson in an emailed statement to Patch. "It would also place many of the complainants and respondents, along with those who may have been witnesses to the event(s) in question, face-to-face in an adversarial arbitration hearing, potentially with lawyers and cross-examination, something the University does not believe is appropriate for these important, complex and sensitive issues."

Students held signs that said "Time's Up," during the rally, indicating impatience with the ongoing sessions, of which there have been nearly a dozen.

"Harvard University has a world-class reputation, and a world-class Me Too problem," said Cherrie Bucknor, a HGSU bargaining committee member and second-year graduate student in sociology in a statement. "Time's up. Harvard needs to change its culture, and stand up for women, people of color, LGBTQ people, and all those impacted by discrimination and harassment."

But University officials it takes time to vet proposals and they only received the last proposal on Feb. 22. The next five-hour session is set for March 15.

Student union workers say that's not good enough.

They say Harvard has protected high-profile professors accused of harassment such as Roland Fryer and Jorge Dominguez, and hasn't done enough to help students or employees who come forward with complaints. They point to a 55 percent increase in complaints last year.

While the school didn't address that in an email to Patch, officials said they're working in good faith with the union.

"The University's most recent proposal on non-discrimination contains several elements that are in direct response to concerns we have heard from our HGSU-UAW colleagues," reads the statement.

Harvard officials say their most recent proposal they've put forward would add seats at the table on one currently existing committee and two new working groups charged with reviewing and making recommendations for improvements to University policy and procedures related to Title IX and other forms of discrimination and misconduct.

According to the school the proposal also includes:

• Contractual protection against retaliation of any sort for pursuing claims of discrimination.
• A contractual guarantee that no student worker should be pressured by University officials to accept informal resolution of their complaint or interim measures in place of filing and pursuing a formal complaint.
• A contractual guarantee that an "impartial and unbiased panel" will be available to hear any appeals from complainants or respondents regarding the final report of an investigatory team.
• As well as a statement of current policy that all faculty, staff and students will be required to take training in sexual and gender-based harassment.

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Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).