Will there be labor peace at YSU? We hope so, but ...

There are too many unknowns in the conflict between Youngstown State University's administration and the unions representing the faculty and classified employees to view President David Sweet's latest peace initiative as a turning point. But Dr. Sweet deserves credit for at least making the effort to bring management and labor together for the good of the university's stakeholders, the students.
That said, Sweet and YSU's board of trustees have a major selling job to do on campus with regard to the lightning rod of the conflict, John Habat, vice president for administration and finance. Habat's continued presence on the university's payroll will require more than one explanation from the president.
Why? Because having an individual who earns $148,378 a year with full benefits working from home is a bitter pill for students who could be hit with a 6 percent tuition increase this year.
The decision to keep Habat on the payroll, but not have him work on campus, is designed to address one of the recommendations of a labor-management panel that Sweet created to study the causes of last year's strikes by classified employees and faculty and to suggest ways of bridging the gap between the administration and the unions.
In its report, the panel blamed Habat and Hugh Chatman, executive director of human resources and labor relations, for exacerbating the tensions between labor and management and said the two could no longer effectively serve the university in any capacity.
Since that report, Chatman has been moved to the new position of executive director of regulatory compliance, while Habat has been working out of his Cleveland-area home.
Outside legal counsel
The university sought the guidance of outside legal counsel and concluded that the terms of Habat's contact precluded his termination. Had he been fired, he most likely would have sued. Sweet did not want to risk losing in a court of law and having to pay Habat for wrongful termination. This way, he gets the vice president out of the spotlight and will be rid of him by December 2007 if he does not quit before that.
Doubtless some in the union are unhappy with this arrangement. They may want to consider, however, that if Habat had felt forced to sue the university for wrongful termination, he might have decided to sue, as well, the unions that agitated for his removal.
Regardless, in light of the agreement that has been reached with Habat, the administration must do all it can to persuade the university community that the decision was for the best.
For example, Sweet says that between now and June 30, Habat will retain his title of vice president of administration and will be assigned work by the university. He will submit "action plans and monthly reports." Who will be responsible for reviewing those plans and reports?
Likewise, from July 1 to June 30, 2007, when his contract expires, Habat will have the title of vice president of special projects. The public has a right to know what special projects he will be working on and who will be monitoring his work. In this capacity, he will continue to receive the same salary and benefits, but will no longer have a car allowance.
From July 1, 2007, to Dec. 31, 2007, Habat will remain on the university payroll as a senior adviser "with special duties," according to Sweet. What "special duties?" Who will supervise him?
Finally, Sweet should discuss why he was not able to persuade the union leaders, who reportedly agreed to this arrangement with Habat, that having the employee on campus under the watchful eye of the president was better than having him out of sight in Cleveland.