House Cafeteria Workers Win New Contract

Workers at the House of Representatives cafeteria workers have overwhelmingly approved a new three-year union contract with Restaurant Associates. "This is a good contract. One of the best we ever negotiated and the quickest," said Rickie Toon, a twenty-year Lead Cook in the Rayburn cafeteria. "This contract improves our standard of living and gives us job security. Restaurant Associates worked together with us to get the contract done. We all feel good about the contract." The contract - which covers 165 workers in the Cannon Carryout, Capitol Café, Longworth, Members Dining, and Rayburn cafeterias -- includes training pay, job safety and dignity and respect language, 10% in wage increases, maintenance of existing health insurance benefits and pension increases, as well as recognition language that allows the union to grow with Restaurant Associates if it expands its cafeteria operations on the Hill. The workers are represented by UNITE HERE Local 25.