Anti-Union Strategist Made Personnel Chief

Anne H. Taylor, who for more than a year has tried to convince Harvard employees that their benefits are better than average, will now be administering those programs.

Taylor, who has run the University campaign against the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (HUCTW), was appointed associate vice president for human resources late last week. As head of Human Resources, Taylor will be in charge of all personnel-related programs.

"I learned such an enormous amount about Harvard during the union campaign that the opportunity to actually respond to that was appealing," said Taylor. "I know a lot about what people think [Human Resources] doesn't do well. Now I need to learn what is does [do well]."

Taylor said she thought the Human Resources office was a strong program but added that she had a lot of new ideas for the office and was anxious to "see it move." She declined to discuss specific changes she might make until she had met with other administrators in the office.

Some support staff members, who know Taylor through her work on the anti-union campaign this spring, said they were uncertain whether the new head of Human Resources had their best interests in mind, but many said they felt Taylor was in a good position to improve working conditions.

"She has heard more of our complaints than any other top administrator," said one staff member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "In that way, she certainly has the potential to make some great changes. But it's hard to believe she'll be for us now, when she has been against us all year."

Taylor was in charge of the University's extensive campaign to defeat the organizing drive of HUCTW, which narrowly won an election last May. The election results are in litigation, and Taylor said she plans to remain involved with the union campaign.

Kris Rondeau, HUCTW's leader, declined comment on Taylor's new position.

Taylor has worked at Harvard since 1983. She worked with the Office of the General Counsel on personnel issues until 1987, when she became special assistant to Robert Scott, the vice president for finance, and began working on the union campaign.

She will replace Ronald Petti who resigned during the summer for personal reasons. Petti could not be reached for comment.