YOUNGSTOWN YSU labor relations program halts, causing disappointment

YSU management demanded that the unions remove an administrator's name from a suggestion. The unions refused; the university withdrew.
By RON COLE
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Leaders of employee unions at Youngstown State University say they are surprised and disappointed that the university has withdrawn from a program to help improve labor relations.
"We're hoping it doesn't put an end to everything, all of the progress that could've been made," said Roman Swerdan, president of YSU's Association of Classified Employees.
"All of us put a considerable amount of time into this," said Gary Carlile, a labor relations consultant with the Ohio Education Association.
John Habat, special assistant to YSU President David Sweet, said he also is disappointed. But he said there are many other processes in place to improve labor relations on campus.
"That effort will never end," he said. "There will always be opportunities to improve the climate."
Swerdan and Carlile said it's too early to tell how the breakdown will affect upcoming negotiations with the classified union and OEA, which represents faculty members. Those contracts expires in August.
"I think what's lost is the opportunity to deal with some big issues prior to negotiations," Carlile said.
Program background: YSU's four employee unions and YSU management launched efforts to improve relations in April in a two-day labor summit facilitated by officials with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
Management and three of the unions (all but the faculty union) then participated in a three-day Relationships-by-Objective program in December in which both sides developed about 200 suggestions on how to improve the labor climate on campus. That plan was finished Jan. 3.
But at a meeting Monday, YSU management demanded that the unions amend one of their suggestions from the action plan.
Carlile said the item referred to a certain administrator who the unions say has been a roadblock to negotiations in the past. Carlile, Swerdan and Habat would not identify the administrator.
The university wanted the name removed. The unions refused, and the university then withdrew from the process.
YSU comments: Hugh Chatman, YSU human resources director, said the unions and management agreed to conduct the RBO program by treating everyone on both sides honestly, fairly and with dignity.
"If we're going to live by those guiding principals, it's very important that we not single out one single employee," he said.
He said he does not blame the unions. "This was an issue that we just could not come to resolution on," he said.
Swerdan said, "The union is still committed to the process in trying to rebuild the relationship up here."