Norton Seeks Answers to Capitol Visitor Center Safety and Labor Allegations (08/18/2010)
Norton Seeks Answers to Capitol Visitor Center Safety and Labor Allegations
WASHINGTON, DC -- The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released a letter today to the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Stephen Ayers, inquiring into security and working conditions at the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC). Norton, chair of the House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, is concerned about the alleged safety violations and working conditions brought to her attention by CVC employees and reported in the media last month. In her letter to Ayers, the Congresswoman specifically questioned the AOC on emergency preparedness and response, workings conditions, and employee benefits, including the possible loss of benefits, as well as reports that CVC forbids employee contact with Members of Congress. For example, CVC employees allegedly were instructed to flush the contents of a bag of white powder labeled "anthrax" down the toilet instead of alerting U.S. Capitol Police of its discovery. It is also alleged that CVC employees are subject to harmful working conditions, including uniforms inappropriate for outdoor work in summer and winter months, and limitations on water consumption.
Norton met with Ayers last month following a detailed report by the Office of Compliance (OOC) which cited an estimated 6,300 safety hazards in the Capitol complex, many of them potentially fatal. As a result of the OOC report, Norton will hold a hearing to further investigate the findings on Thursday, September 16, at 2:00 p.m. in 2167 Rayburn. Besides chairing a subcommittee with some jurisdiction over the CVC, Norton is also a member of the Homeland Security Committee.
"Thousands of people visit the CVC daily and more than 4 million since it opened," Norton said. "The treatment of CVC employees has a direct relationship to our ability to keep millions of visitors, Members of Congress, and thousands of employees safe and healthy. Most important, we must work with the AOC, the Capitol Police, and other agencies to ensure that we are on the same page and that all CVC employees receive the necessary safety training."
The Congresswoman's full letter follows.
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Stephen T. Ayers
Architect of the Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Mr. Ayers,
Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) employees recently brought the following labor grievances to my attention. Kindly advise me of the extent of your knowledge of these grievances, as well as of the steps, if any, being taken to remedy them.
Emergency Preparedness
What, if anything, is being done to ensure that all CVC employees receive the necessary training to handle potentially dangerous substances or suspicious packages? If such training has not been implemented, is there a timeline for implementation?
Emergency Response
I have been informed that, prior to coming under the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), CVC employees were notified within minutes of any emergency on the Capitol grounds via a central communications post overseen by CVC supervisors. Under the old system, after CVC supervisors were notified of an emergency, within a matter of minutes a message was sent via pager to all CVC employees informing them of the situation and any action that they needed to take. Is it true that there have been several instances since CVC employees have been under AOC jurisdiction in which they have not been notified of emergencies until much later, or not at all? If this is accurate, what will you do to ensure that CVC employees are fully informed of emergencies?
Recently, I have been informed of an incident during a guided tour in which a child fell and received a head injury that caused him to bleed profusely. Following emergency protocol, the CVC employee leading that child's group attempted to contact the CVC management team over her handheld radio. It took the CVC employee two or three attempts to successfully make contact. Apparently, that CVC employee was able to find a Capitol Police officer who called for medical assistance, and a physician on the tour was able to stabilize the child until he could receive formal medical assistance.
Which CVC managers monitor the CVC employees' emergency radios? Are they in a position to monitor emergency communications effectively? Are they allowed and prepared to communicate an emergency to the attending physician, to the Capitol police or to other CVC staff? What steps are currently being taken or will be taken to ensure that emergency situations in the CVC are immediately addressed?
Do CVC standard operating procedures require that CVC employees first contact their direct supervisor for security and medical issues rather than the Capitol Police or the attending physician? What is the CVC's policy regarding the use of cellular phones by CVC employees during emergency situations? What access do CVC employees have to an attending physician on Saturdays, holidays and during special events?
Weather-Appropriate Uniforms
Are CVC employees issued weather-appropriate uniforms? Recently, I was informed that CVC employees are required to wear their wool pants in the summer months, and that they are not given cold weather gear in the winter months. If true, when will you issue weather-appropriate uniforms?
Working Conditions
Are CVC employees given adequate time to refill their water bottles while on the job? Are there additional measures that you can take to make sure all staff has access to water?
Lost Benefits
Are CVC employees eligible for student loan repayment while employed by the AOC? Were CVC employees told by AOC human resource personnel that, after the completion of the November 2008 transfer of jurisdiction over Capitol Visitor Services from the Capitol Guide Board to the AOC, student loan repayments for CVC employees, which had been suspended during that transition, would resume and that such payments would be retroactive to the date of transfer?
Congressional Concerns
Are CVC employees instructed by CVC management not to contact members of the House or Senate about workplace issues? If so, please explain the rationale behind such an instruction.
I thank you for your attention to these matters, and look forward to your timely response.
Sincerely,
Eleanor Holmes Norton