Servers at correspondents’ dinner not approached about testing, vaccination requirements, union says

by Olafimihan Oshin - 04/28/22 3:51 PM ET

Greg Nash
Clouds gather behind the White House in this April 22, 2022, photo. Growing presidential authority and congressional gridlock are changing the dynamics of governing in Washington, D.C.

A union representing the servers for the upcoming White House Correspondents’ Dinner reportedly said they have not been approached about COVID-19 testing and vaccine requirements for the event.

The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) said earlier this month that it will require attendees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to show a same-day negative test to attend the April 30 dinner.

Unite Here Local 25 representative Benjy Cannon told Axios on Wednesday that the Hilton hotel, where the event will be hosted, hadn’t yet approached servers about those requirements.

Cannon also noted that the union could bargain over the issue if it was raised, noting it had agreed to one-off coronavirus-related work rules for other events.

In a statement to The Hill on Thursday, a Hilton Hotel spokesperson said its Washington hotel hosted multiple events with COVID-19 protocols throughout the pandemic, but declined to provide specifics about its plans for the WHCA event.

“Throughout the pandemic, Washington Hilton has hosted a number of large-scale events with COVID-19 protocols in place, including offering our team members the flexibility to choose if they work in large group settings, based on their comfort level,” the Hilton spokesperson said.

The Hill has reached out to Unite Here Local 25 and the WHCA for comment.

Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top expert on infectious diseases, is foregoing the WHCA correspondents’ dinner on Saturday, due to concerns about the virus.

The White House has said President Biden will attend the speaking portion of the event, but skip eating dinner.

Vice President Harris tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.