[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 92 (Wednesday, July 7, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1293-E1294]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HOUSE FOOD SERVICE WORKERS SHOULD BE COMMENDED

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 6, 2004

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the food services workers of 
the Longworth, Rayburn, and Cannon House Office buildings, I submit for 
the record a letter signed by thirty-eight Members of Congress to Guest 
Service Inc. CEO/President Gerald T. Gabrys denouncing his decision to 
have his workers pay his company a day of wages on The National Day of 
Mourning.
  The men and women who serve Members of Congress, staff, and the 
public each day in the House cafeterias are some of the most dedicated, 
hard working, and patriotic workers in our nation. They spend hours on 
their feet each day, ensuring that the House functions smoothly. Their 
characteristic smiles are a testament to the professionalism with which 
they go about their jobs.
  But while the House food service workers have served Members of 
Congress for years--often without recognition--it has become time for 
Members of Congress to serve them. The rest of nation set aside June 
11, 2004 to honor and pay solemn tribute to former President Reagan, 
but Guest Services Inc. (GSI) used the National Day of Mourning as a 
unique opportunity to extract compensation from its workforce.
  Indeed, as federal employees across the nation were granted a one-day 
paid ``holiday'' on the National Day of Mourning, Guest Services 
employees were barred from reporting to work and required to expend a 
vacation or sick day to be paid for this previously scheduled day of 
employment. As a government contractor, GSI knew that Congress or the 
President could close the government at any time. This is a business 
risk inherent in GSI's relationship with the government. GSI passed the 
cost along to its employees.
  The thirty-eight Members of Congress who signed this letter believe 
that decision was wrong. We have called upon GSI to pay its workers for 
the National Day of Mourning and return any vacation or sick time used 
as a result of their policy.
  The House food service workers should be commended--not punished--for 
their admirable service to the federal government and our nation.

                                Congress of the United States,

                                    Washington, DC, June 25, 2004.
     Mr. Gerald T. Gabrys,
     President/CEO, Guest Services Inc.,
     Fairfax, VA
       Dear Mr. Gabrys: We write to express our concern and 
     disappointment regarding the decision by Guest Services Inc. 
     (GSI) not to pay its food service workers on June 11, 2004, 
     The National Day of Mourning.
       As you know, all executive departments, independent 
     establishments, and other governmental agencies were closed 
     on June 11th

[[Page E1294]]

     so that our nation could honor and formally pay its respects 
     to the late former President Ronald Reagan.
       While federal employees across the nation were granted a 
     one-day paid ``holiday'' for this purpose, non-salaried Guest 
     Services employees in the Longworth, Rayburn, and Cannon 
     House Office Buildings were summarily barred from reporting 
     to work, and GSI announced they would not be paid for this 
     previously scheduled day of employment. Instead, GSI 
     employees were told that they would be required to utilize an 
     accrued vacation or sick day.
       What GSI has done is to compel its employees to effectively 
     pay GSI one day of wages for the National Day of Mourning. 
     This is extraordinary. As a government contractor, GSI must 
     have been aware of the possibility that Congress or the 
     President could designate a one-day National Holiday shutting 
     down the federal government at any time. But while the rest 
     of the nation set aside June 11th to honor and pay solemn 
     tribute to former President Reagan, GSI appears to have used 
     the National Day of Mourning as a unique opportunity to 
     extract compensation from its workforce in retaliation for a 
     cost inherent in GSI's relationship with the government.
       We do not believe this was appropriate or within the spirit 
     of this historically important day. We request that you both 
     pay your workers for the day of June 11th and return any 
     vacation or sick leave utilized by employees in response to 
     your policy. Your employees should be commended--not 
     punished--for their hard work and dedication in service to 
     the federal government and our nation.
       We look forward to your prompt response to this request. 
     Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.
           Sincerely
       Dennis J. Kucinich; Max Sandlin; Gary L. Ackerman; Jim 
     Cooper; Ellen O. Tauscher, Stephanie Tubbs Jones; Jim 
     McDermott; Karen McCarthy; Jose E. Serrano; Gregory W. Meeks; 
     Brad Sherman; Barbara Lee; Bernard Sanders; Sam Farr; Albert 
     Russell Wynn; Lois Capps; Betty McCollum; George Miller; 
     William D. Delahunt; Diane E. Watson; Patrick J. Kennedy; 
     Tammy Baldwin; Mark Udall; Neil Abercrombie; Sheila Jackson-
     Lee; Jay Inslee; Fortney Pete Stark; Major R. Owens; Sherrod 
     Brown; Brian Baird; Michael E. Capuano; Jerrold Nadler; Tom 
     Udall; Rosa L. DeLauro; Raul M. Grijalva; Eddie Bernice 
     Johnson; Michael M. Honda; and Chris Van Hollen.

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