Click here to see photos from the Stand-Outs!

Thank you to the many hundreds of HUCTW members and friends who joined their coworkers in our fight for a fair raise at four HUCTW Stand-Outs on October 26 and November 1! The events were tremendous showing of HUCTW members’ strength and solidarity across the campus! You can see photos from the Stand-Outs on our website.

Thanks to all who took part, and special thanks to Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, Boston City Councilor Liz Breadon, and Cambridge City Council members Marc McGovern, Denise Simmons, Paul Toner, and Quinton Zondervan for coming out to support HUCTW members in our contract fight! Thanks also to friends from our sibling unions on campus, exempt staff friends, and HUCTW retirees for joining us and showing their solidarity! You can see more fantastic photos and messages on our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook pages. (and you can follow us on those apps!)

In negotiations this week, we had a first introductory meeting with a neutral mediator who HUCTW and Harvard negotiators have agreed to consult. Additional meetings with the mediator are being scheduled for next week.  HUCTW leaders and negotiators are hopeful that, as in previous rounds of negotiation over the years, a skilled neutral may be able to help the parties reframe issues in a way that leads toward a positive resolution. Union leaders and negotiators remain firmly committed to a substantial raise program that protects members from inflation and provides financial progress for all HUCTW staff.   

At the Stand-Outs, members showed their energy and commitment for a fair contract, but we’ll need continued member engagement in order to achieve that contract! The HUCTW Officers, Executive Board, and organizing staff are actively planning creative ways for HUCTW members to put constructive pressure on Harvard administrators to move negotiations in a better direction. Please let us know if you have thoughts and ideas! And watch your email inbox next week for information about next steps in HUCTW’s Campaign for a Fair Raise!