Capitol Tour Staff Begin Historic Push To Unionize

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

For the first time in the 134 years since Congress’ Capitol Guide Service was created, Congressional tour guides and visitor assistants “began efforts last week to form a union, citing concerns over the management practices at the Capitol Visitor Center,” reports Roll Call. “Eighteen CVC employees sent letters Thursday to about 30 Members of Congress and Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers, explaining their plans to form a union under the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.” AFSCME Council 26’s Executive Director Carl Goldman told Union City that concerns voiced by the workers include “having insufficient access to water, lack of protective clothing during winter, and not being given time on the job to do research, effectively forcing the workers to keep up on Congressional issues and history in their own time.” Since the Capitol Visitor Center opened in 2008, the Architect of the Capitol now employs almost 60 guides and over 70 visitor assistants who lead groups of tourists through the Capitol. Click here for the full story. - photo courtesy Antonio Zamora