Union leaders met Thursday with Joseph Dubin, the federal mediator that the University called in last week to moderate contract talks between Yale and its unions.

According to a press release, union presidents Bob Proto and Laura Smith, Local 35 department steward Ron Altieri, Local 34 staff director Pat Carta and attorney Michael Boyle met for approximately an hour and a half yesterday with Dubin, a mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, or FMCS. The union leaders discussed their positions on key issues with Dubin, who said he was willing to make suggestions to both sides.

Locals 34 and 35 represent nearly 4,000 clerical, technical, service, dining hall and maintenance workers.

This was Dubin’s first meeting with members of the unions’ negotiating committee. He did not have any immediate recommendations with regard to negotiations.

No main table negotiation sessions are scheduled for next week.

–Shinzong Lee