University administrators have not taken workers' input seriously in a recent study of Penn State's system for assigning salaries and evaluating employees, say members of the Penn State Office Workers Organizing Committee.

Elena De Luca, an administrative assistant in the Graduate Program in Policy Analysis and committee member, said she believes it is too late for workers' input because the University seems dedicated to the current proposal made by the study.

But at least one official contends their input is welcome.

If the revision is implemented by Summer 1991 as expected, then both staff and clerical workers will be merged into one grade and under one title -- staff, said William Walsh, director of salary administration and benefits in the Office of Human Resources.

Walsh said the merger of staff and clerical workers will break down artificial barriers that hamper communication and at the same time make it easier for them to advance up the pay scale.

The revision also will update evaluations of new employee positions not developed when the system was first implemented more than 30 years ago, said Walsh.

"The old system worked. It's just time to get a new one," he said.

The University is requesting input from its staff and clerical workers as part of their proposed revision of the salary system.

In the current salary system, employee positions are divided into the categories of clerical, staff exempt and staff non-exempt, said Walsh. He added that each employee position has a grade assigned to it with each grade carrying a certain salary.

However, Jennifer Morris, co-chairwoman of the organizing committee, said the University is not sincere or concerned about employee input because they have not directly reacted to organizing committee's suggestions.

For example, Morris, a secretary in the college of Liberal Arts, said an apparent gender and racial bias is present in the current salary system. Yet such suggestions are often ignored because the University does not want to deal with them, she added.

"The only reason they're acting is because of the threat of unions at Penn State," DeLuca said.

The committee formed in October 1988 to investigate possible unionization with United Steelworkers of America. Last April the steelworkers' union held a membership drive on campus.

Walsh said the organizing committee's attitude is unfortunate because he truly wants to respond to worker input.

"I am driven by a sincere desire to hear what all employees have to say," Walsh said.

Theresa Peters, a secretary to the director of the Engineering Advising Center and member of the Penn State Office Workers Against Unionization, said she agrees the University is not out to hurt unions.

"The fact that the University is taking the time to hold meetings . . . they appear to be truly wanting our input," Peters said.

Peters added that overall the study has addressed all concerns that workers may have expressed at these meetings that are held once a week.

Yet De Luca said she is unsure if this revision will end gender and racial biases in the system. Biases are evident by the majority of clerical workers who are women located at the bottom of the pay scale, she added.

"Certainly Penn State has no pay equity among workers," said Morris. "You're paid whatever they want to pay you -- the market value."

But Peters said she believes that both the salary and benefits for University staff and clerical workers are adequate. The old system, however, needs to be updated so newer positions can be adequately evaluated, she added.

"This is the best thing that's happened to the staff and clerical workers here at Penn State in a long time," she said.