Congressional Research Employees Association

CREA and the other Library unions recently met with the union representing the Library’s food service workers (Local 25, Hotel and Restaurant Employees, UNITE-HERE), to consider ways to support the Library’s food service workers in their quest for a union contract.

Since I.L. Creations has replaced Sodexho as the Library’s cafeteria vendor, the food service workers have not had the collective bargaining rights and benefits they previously enjoyed under their union contract. Local 25 has made a proposal to I.L. Creations and invited it to negotiate a new contract, but I.L. Creations failed to attend the scheduled meeting.

The lack of a contract has drawn Congressional attention to the situation of these cafeteria workers, who have seen their benefits reduced under the current management. At the Library’s appropriations hearing, Chairwoman Wasserman Schultz of the House Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee asked both Librarian of Congress Billington and Library Chief Operating Officer Jo Ann Jenkins about the status of negotiations and expressed concern about the rate of progress. Ms. Jenkins was only able to tell the Chairwoman that a meeting had been scheduled.

Local 25 and the Library’s other unions are discussing whether to support a boycott proposed by the UNITE-HERE International Union. It is felt that a boycott could harm the local employees’ cause, and making such a decision is a difficult matter.

CREA WANTS YOUR INPUT! Before coming to a final decision, CREA wants to know what its members’ opinions are. If you feel strongly about this matter, CREA urges you to contact your stewards or your governors to tell them what you think.