To the Editor:

The 500 union members who gathered outside President Richard Levin’s private home on Wednesday acted inappropriately (“Unions cancel contracts; strike is possible,” 2/13). The unions have every right to lobby and negotiate with Levin in his capacity as University president, but to say that they are entitled to stand at his doorstep because stalled negotiations have “disrupted the personal lives of many union members” is unacceptable. This is tantamount to one-tenth of the undergraduate body gathering outside a professor’s home because the work she assigns “disrupts” their personal lives. It should be clear that above all, the unions sought to intimidate President Levin at his place of residence; the unions’ decision to make this matter personal, furthered by the union presidents’ comment “we will be back,” detracts from the issue of determining fair compensation for Yale’s workers.

Doug London ’06

February 14, 2003