What is CREA?

The Congressional Research Employees Association (CREA)is the exclusive representative of all professional and nonprofessional employees of the Congressional Research Service (CRS) in the Library of Congress. Over two-thirds of eligible CRS employees are members in CREA, an attribute to it's effectiveness with CRS and Library management. 

As the legal bargaining representative, CREA negotiates the contract (Collective Bargaining Agreement) between the Library management and CRS employees establishing personnel policies, practices, procedures, and overall conditions of work. 

An essential element of the contract is the negotiated grievance procedure. This assures you of representation on disputes with management over wages, hours, or working conditions. In addition, CREA officers and stewards provide competent and confidential assistance to resolve ANY of your work problems. 

What does CREA do about...

Performance & Promotion 
In the near future CREA hopes to negotiate new performance and promotion standards and procedures that are designed to let the employee have input into the expectations for the upcoming year and to have supervisors let them know how they are doing on an ongoing basis. Because of CREA's past efforts you are guaranteed payment of any increases resulting from a promotion or with-in grade on your anniversary date. Only CREA bargaining unit employees have this benefit. 

Upward Mobility, Affirmative Action, Equal Employment Opportunities 
CREA views upward mobility, affirmative action, and equal employment opportunities as major issues. CREA has negotiated a Career Opportunities Plan (COP) for upward mobility a new library-wide mentoring program and renogiated the Library's affirmative action plan. We hope soon we will be negotiating broader staff training and development plans. 

Health & Safety 
CREA actively monitors the health and safety affecting CRS employees. We have been instrumental in the implementation of the workplace ergonomics program. 

Steward Network 
CREA offers it's members assistance and advice from stewards who have training with respect to the CREA contract and Library of Congress regulations and also on how to settle disputes that may arise in the workplace. 

Membership Participation 
CREA is a democratic organization, offering all its members the opportunity to participate by serving on various committees and/or bargaining teams. CREA encourages its members to get involved in all aspects of the organization, such as the publication of its newsletter CREAtivity. 

Membership Awareness 
CREA publishes CREAgrams to spread the latest information that needs to reach CRS employees immediately. CREAtivity is published regularly and has information about the current bargaining issues, elections results, and editorials submitted from CRS employees. Read the most recent issue of CREAtivity, CREA's newsletter. E-mail articles and comments to crea@crs.loc.gov. 

E-mail comments about CREA or about this page to crea@crs.loc.gov. 

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