No Layoffs Campaign Meeting - Thurs Feb 19

Hello All,

Harvard administrators have been giving the impression that the University is practically broke, and must cut jobs. After years of being told that Harvard's massive endowment has nothing to do with our compensation, employees are now informed that our salaries depend on the endowment, and that the endowment has taken a severe plunge.

To put things in perspective, when our union won its first contract nearly 20 years ago, the endowment was about $4.5 billion, and it's roughly $29 billion now! Harvard remains the richest University on earth. Harvard has "non-profit" status, which means it doesn't have to pay the taxes businesses normally pay. And the University continues to receive income from national and private research grants, rents, gifts (not all gifts go to the endowment), and tuition.

Make no mistake, Harvard wants to use any drop in the huge endowment's rate of increase as an excuse to cut jobs, and make the remaining staff work harder for the same paychecks. A coalition of HUCTW members, members of other campus unions, non-union workers, and students is organizing to oppose layoffs.

Please join us this Thursday, 2/19, at 12:30 p.m., at Phillips Brooks House. We will be planning a day of action on March 5, to feature a rally and other actions to press the University not to cut jobs.
We will meet in the Parlor (first door on your left as you enter the building).
Hope to see you there!

In Solidarity,

Geoff Carens, Union Representative, HUCTW/AFSCME local 3650