YSU 7-member panel will work on labor relations

By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The presidents of two Youngstown State University employee unions that went on strike in August are pleased that the university is looking for a way to improve labor-management relations.
Dr. David C. Sweet, YSU president, announced the appointment of a seven-member panel Monday that will look at labor-management relations and the collective bargaining process on campus.
"I think that it's a good idea," said Dr. Julia Gergits, president of the 380-member faculty union that went on strike Aug. 23 and accepted terms of a new contract five days later.
"They're all people with great integrity," said Christine Domhoff, president of the 400-member Association of Classified Employees union, which went on strike Aug. 16 and reached accord on a new pact Aug. 29, the first day of fall classes.
After the strikes, Sweet told the university's board of trustees that he intended to appoint a panel to examine labor relations at the university.
Here's the plan
The YSU community has a shared responsibility to work together to improve labor-management relations on campus, and this panel will seek input from university employees, union leaders and others as it develops some recommendations, he said.
He's asked the panel, which held its first meeting Monday, to give him its recommendations by the end of the year.
Dr. Robert K. Herbert, YSU provost and vice president of academic affairs, is panel chairman.
Other members are: Eugenia Atkinson, executive director of the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority, a YSU graduate and a former YSU trustee; Jim Graham, president of Local 1112 of the United Auto Workers and a YSU graduate; Atty. Dennis Haines, a prominent labor lawyer and partner in the firm of Green, Haines, Sgambati Co. LPA; James Morrison, retired professor and former chairman of psychology at YSU; Atty. John Pogue, vice chairman of the YSU trustees board and a partner in the firm of Harrington, Hoppe and Mitchell Ltd.; and Tom Shipka, professor and chairman of philosophy and religious studies at YSU and chairman of the Academic Senate.
2 issues
Herbert said the panel's work will deal with two issues: healing recent wounds and coming up with recommendations to facilitate better communication on a regular basis as well as mutual feelings of respect and common membership.
Panel members must strive to avoid putting blame on personalities and focus on the future, Herbert said.
Creating the panel was "a proactive thing to do," Gergits said, adding that her union will be willing to look at any recommendations the panel offers.
Two of the panel members are former members of the faculty union.
The panelists appear to be honorable, intelligent people and they've indicated they will talk to and listen to a lot of people, Gergits said.
"They're all people with great integrity," Domhoff said. She had some reservations about Pogue's being named to the panel, as he had some direct involvement in the recent strikes and negotiations.
However, she said she feels he will be a fair and impartial member of the panel.
The results could be a wonderful thing for the university, Domhoff said, providing that the effort doesn't turn out to be a white-washing of what happened and truly looks at labor-management relations.
Sweet said YSU's strained labor-management relations are not unique. Tensions have risen at a number of campuses across the state and nation as budgets become tighter and employees are asked to share in the growing cost of benefits, particularly health care.
Both YSU unions agreed to pick up a portion of their health care costs for the first time in their new contracts.
gwin@vindy.com