WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown is leading efforts to raise wages for the U.S. Senate’s cafeteria and catering workers. As the Senate Rules Committee negotiates its contract with the Restaurant Associates, the Senate’s food and catering contractor, Brown and the Democratic Caucus urged Rules Committee leadership to advocate for better wages for these employees.

Brown also met with four Senate cafeteria workers including: Charles Gladden, a Senate cafeteria worker who is homeless and Sontia Bailey, a cashier in the Senate who works two jobs.

“It’s critical that we raise the minimum wage for all Americans, including those who work each day where laws are made,” Brown said.  “Americans who work hard and take responsibility should be able to make ends meet and take care of themselves and their families. The U.S. Senate should lead by example and ensure good benefits and wages for those who work in these buildings.”

The letter urged action on wages and working conditions as Restaurant Associates’ contract is renegotiated.

“We are concerned about the treatment and pay of Restaurant Associates’ employees.  Numerous news reports have exposed the severe impact of low wages on the workers’ lives,” wrote the Senators in the letter. “If Restaurant Associates is unable to treat and compensate its employees appropriately, we urge you to terminate the contract and find a different vendor.  The U.S. Senate should serve as an example for all employers, and the workers who support the work of the U.S. Senate must be given the respect and the opportunities they deserve.”

The letter follows multiple reports of workers employed by Restaurant Associates whose low wages have left them to rely on food stamps to feed their family or take up other jobs.  Today, Brown met with workers of the Restaurant Associates who serve the U.S. Senate to hear their stories. Brown is the cosponsor of the Pay Workers a Living Wage Act, which would raise the federal minimum wage to $15.

“This is the first time I can recall that any of the Senators we serve are standing up to help us get a living wage and a union.  $15 and a union means I won’t be homeless anymore,” said Charles Gladden, U.S. Senate Cafeteria Worker.

“This letter is important because it’s the first time ever that so many U.S. Senators are saying workers deserve a living wage – not just the minimum wage – so we shouldn’t have to use public aid programs, like food stamps, to feed our kids,” said Bertrand Olotara, a Senate Cafeteria Grill Cook.

“I’m glad that the Senators are standing up for the people who serve them every day. We need $15 and a union to survive.  Because I make so little at the Capitol, I had to get a second full-time job.  Working 70 hours a week took a toll on my body – I recently had a miscarriage and buried my baby boy.  If I had a living wage and a union, my fiancé and I would be proud parents today,” said Sontia Bailey, a U.S. Capitol Café Cashier.

Full text of the letter is below. A PDF is available here.

 

August 6, 2015

 

Dear Chairman Blunt and Ranking Member Schumer:

We write to express our concern about the treatment of U.S. Senate cafeteria and catering employees. We ask you to address several issues the workers have raised numerous times with their current employer, the U.S. Senate contractor Restaurant Associates, and to take them into consideration during the company’s contract negotiations later this year. 

We are concerned about the treatment and pay of Restaurant Associates’ employees.  Numerous news reports have exposed the severe impact of low wages on the workers’ lives.  In addition, some of the 36 “transferred” employees who transitioned from being employed by the Architect of the Capitol to being employed by Restaurant Associates in 2008 have registered ongoing complaints about reduced work hours and an intimidating work environment.  Newer employees have raised the same grievances.  In the last few years, the company has cut the transferred catering workers’ and the new hires’ hours and generally assigned work schedules that make it difficult to get a second job.  Restaurant Associates has also begun assigning fewer workers to catering events, leading to understaffed events and overworked employees. 

We ask you to investigate these issues, to ask Restaurant Associates to address and resolve them in a manner satisfactory to their employees, and to consider them during the renegotiation of Restaurant Associates’ contract with the U.S. Senate.  It is important that all Senate cafeteria and catering workers are able to do their jobs in a positive and supportive work environment.  If Restaurant Associates is unable to treat and compensate its employees appropriately, we urge you to terminate the contract and find a different vendor.  The U.S. Senate should serve as an example for all employers, and the workers who support the work of the U.S. Senate must be given the respect and the opportunities they deserve.

Sincerely,

 

United States Senator  Sherrod Brown                                                                                   

United States Senator  Richard J. Durbin

United States Senator Harry Reid

United States Senator  Tammy Baldwin                                                                                 

United States Senator  Michael F. Bennet

United States Senator Richard Blumenthal

United States Senator Cory Booker

United States Senator  Barbara Boxer                                                                                               

United States Senator  Maria Cantwell

United States Senator  Benjamin L. Cardin                                                                           

United States Senator  Robert P. Casey, Jr.

United States Senator  Christopher A. Coons                                                            

United States Senator  Joe Donnelly

United States Senator  Dianne Feinstein                                                                    

United States Senator  Al Franken

United States Senator  Kirsten E. Gillibrand                                                                          

United States Senator  Martin Heinrich

United States Senator Heidi Heitkamp 

United States Senator  Mazie K. Hirono                                                                                

United States Senator  Tim Kaine

United States Senator  Angus S. King, Jr.                                                                              

United States Senator  Amy Klobuchar

United States Senator  Patrick J. Leahy                                                                                 

United States Senator  Joe Manchin III

United States Senator  Edward J. Markey                                                                              

United States Senator  Claire McCaskill

United States Senator  Robert Menendez                                                                   

United States Senator  Jeff Merkley

United States Senator  Barbara A. Mikulski                                                                           

United States Senator  Christopher Murphy

United States Senator  Patty Murray                                                                          

United States Senator  Gary C. Peters

United States Senator  Jack Reed                                                                                           

United States Senator  Bernard Sanders

United States Senator  Brian Schatz               

United States Senator Chuck Schumer                                                                       

United States Senator  Jeanne Shaheen

United States Senator  Debbie Stabenow                                                                               

United States Senator  Jon Tester

United States Senator  Tom Udall                                                                                          

United States Senator  Mark R. Warner

United States Senator  Elizabeth Warren                                                                               

United States Senator  Sheldon Whitehouse               

United States Senator Ron Wyden                  

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