UP CLOSE | A new labor era, step by step
It was March 2003. Negotiations for the 2002 contracts for Yale’s two unions, Locals 34 and 35, had failed, and hundreds of workers were in the middle of a weeklong strike.
“They’re such an elitist institution,” said Ron Altieri, a Yale electrician of over three decades and a die-hard member of Local 35, when The New York Times asked him about the University. “They just look down at the workers. They can’t come to terms with looking at their unions as an equal.”
Union members had hoped to secure higher wages, better parking and recognition by the University of their...
The history quoted here seems correct. The thought of trust between the University and the Unions is an interesting concept. The economy was a major factor in negotiations this time around. This contract would have never been accepted in the past for either union. It will be interesting to see what happens in three years especially if the economy turns around.
interesting story!