Area Universities Won't Oppose Labor Pickets During Graduation

Pomp, circumstance and picket signs. þþWelcome to graduation, 2005, at two Northeast Ohio universities where union employees say they are tired of waiting for new contracts. þþWorkers at Kent State and the University of Akron plan campus protests this weekend during graduation ceremonies at the two schools. Union officials said they don't intend to disrupt the ceremonies or prevent people from attending. þþKent State University officials and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees worked out an agreement Thursday that allows no more than six people to picket at each of 14 sites on campus. The agreement was reached despite a Portage County Common Pleas Court judge's ruling Thursday in which she denied the university's request to limit the number of pickets. þþÿWe are satisfied that our concerns were addressed,ÿ said Ron Kirksey, university spokesman, of the picketing agreement reached with the union. Pickets will be allowed to be no closer than the parking lot to the MAC Center, where the graduation ceremonies will be held Saturday and Sunday, he said. þþRobert Thompson, regional director for the union, said the picketing will be peaceful. þþÿWe are not going to obstruct any graduation,ÿ he said. ÿWe won't block any entranceways.ÿ þþThe union represents 369 university employees such as maintenance and food service workers. Thompson said the employees are working without a contract. He said the picketing will begin today and continue through Sunday. þþAt the University of Akron, professors said they will stage some kind of protest this weekend. Union leaders said they will either picket or hand out fliers to those attending graduation ceremonies. þþJan Yoder, vice president of the union, said the protest may be limited to Sunday. She said the degree of the protest depends upon the progress made during contract talks scheduled for today. þþThe union has been negotiating with the university for more than a year and a half. þþPaul Herold, spokesman for the University of Akron, said there are no plans to seek a court order restricting the number of professors who could picket the graduation. þþ