U.S. Department of Labor Employment Standards Administration
Office of Labor-Management Standards
Chicago District Office
230 South Dearborn Street
Room 774, Federal Office Building
Chicago, IL 60604
(31 2)596-7160 Fax: (31 2)596-7174

October 2, 2008

Ms. Cheryl Weber
Financial Secretary
Stage and Picture Operators AFL-CIO
Local 769
1250 Hunters Ridge West
Hoffman Estates, IL 60192

LM File Number 013-530
Case Number: -

Dear Ms. Weber

This office has recently completed an audit of Stage and Picture Operators Local 769 under the Compliance Audit Program (CAP) to determine your organization's compliance with the provisions of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (LMRDA). As discussed during the exit interview with you and Bernard Schorle on September 29,2008, the following problems were disclosed during the CAP. The matters listed below are not an exhaustive list of all possible problem areas since the audit conducted was limited in scope.

Recordkeeping Violations

Title II of the LMRDA establishes certain reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Section 206 requires, among other things, that labor organizations maintain adequate records for at least five years by which each receipt and disbursement of funds, as well as all account balances, can be verified, explained, and clarified. As a general rule, labor organizations must maintain all records used or received in the course of union
business.

For disbursements, this includes not only original bills, invoices, receipts, vouchers, and applicable resolutions, but also documentation showing the nature of the union business requiring the disbursement, the goods or services received, and the identity of the recipient(s) of the goods or services. In most instances, this documentation requirement can be satisfied with a sufficiently descriptive expense receipt or invoice. If an expense receipt is not sufficiently descriptive, a union officer or employee should write a note on it providing the additional information. For money it receives, the labor organization must keep at least one record showing the date, amount, purpose, and source of that money. The labor organization must also retain bank records for all accounts.

The audit of Local 769's 2007 records revealed the following recordkeeping violations:

1. General Reimbursed Expenses

Local 769 did not retain adeauate documentation for reimbursed expenses incurred by ----- totaling at least $1200. For example, on 'February 25, 2007, the local issued a check to---- for $551.63 for reimbursed hotel expenses and failed to retain a receipt.

As previously noted above, labor organizations must retain original receipts, bills, and vouchers for all disbursements. The president and treasurer (or corresponding principal officers) of your union, who are required to sign your union's LM report, are responsible for properly maintaining union records.

2. Receipt Dates not Recorded

Entries in Local 769's general ledger account report reflect the date the union deposited money, but not the date money was received. Union receipts records must show the date of receipt. The date of receipt is required to verify, explain, or clarify amounts required to be reported in Statement B (Receipts and Disbursements) of the LM-3. The LM-3 instructions for Statement B state that the labor organization must record receipts when it actually receives money and disbursements when it actually pays out money. Failure to record the date money was received could result in the union reporting some receipts for a different year than when it actually received them.

Based on your assurance that Local 769 will retain adequate documentation in the future, OLMS will take no further enforcement action at this time regarding the above violations.

Reporting Violations

The audit disclosed a violation of LMRDA Section 201(b), which requires labor organizations to file annual financial reports accurately disclosing their financial condition and operations. The Labor Organization Annual Report LM-3 filed by Local 769 for fiscal year ending December 31,2007, was deficient in the following areas:

1. Disbursements to Officers

Local 769 did not include some reimbursements to officers totaling at least $1200 in the amounts reported Item 24 (All Officers and Disbursements to Officers). It appears the union erroneously reported these payments in Item 54. In addition, the local did not report the names of some officers and the total amounts of payments to them or on their behalf in Item 24 (All Officers and Disbursements to Officers). The union must report in Item 24 all persons who held office during the year, regardless of whether they received any payments from the union.

The union must report most direct disbursements to Local 769 officers and some indirect disbursements made on behalf of its officers in Item 24. A "direct disbursement" to an officer is a payment made to an officer in the form of cash, property, goods, services, or other things of value. See the instructions for Item 24 for a discussion of certain direct disbursements to officers that do not have to be reported in Item 24. An "indirect disbursement" to an officer is a payment to another party (including a credit card company) for cash, property, goods, services, or other things of value received by or on behalf of an officer. However, indirect disbursements for temporary lodging (such as a union check issued to a hotel) or for transportation by a public carrier (such as an airline) for an officer traveling on union business should be reported in Item 48 (Office and
Administrative Expense).

2. Period Covered

Local 769 inaccurately reported the beginning and ending dates of the period covered on the LM-3 report. The local reported the period covered
from July 1,2007 through June 30,2008; however, the financial information contained in the LM-3 report covered the period from January 1,2007 through December 31,2007. Similarly, the LM-3 report filed for the period covering July 1, 2006 through June 30,2007 contained financial information from January 1,2006 Ms. Cheryl Weber through December 31,2006. The LM-3 instructions indicate that your organization's report must reflect financial information for the fiscal year reported.

3. Reconciliation

It appears that the cash figures reported in Item 25 are not the cash figures according to the union's books after reconciliation to the bank statements. The instructions for Item 25 state that the union should obtain account balances from its books as reconciled to the balances shown on bank statements. In addition, the figures reported in Items 44 and 55 do not reconcile with the bank statements and the union's books.

4. Failure to File Bylaws

The audit disclosed a violation of LMRDA Section 201(a), which requires that a union submit a copy of its revised constitution and bylaws with its LM report when it makes changes to its constitution or bylaws. Local 769 amended its constitution and bylaws in 2002, but did not file a copy with its LM report for that year.

Local 769 has now filed a copy of its constitution and bylaws.

Local 769 must file an amended Form LM-3 for fiscal years ending December 31,2006 and December 31,2007, to correct the deficient items discussed above. I provided you with a blank form and instructions, and advised you that the reporting forms and instructions are available on the OLMS website (www.olms.dol.gov). The amended Form LM-3 should be submitted to this office at the above address as soon as possible,
but not later than November 2,2008. Before filing, review the report thoroughly to be sure it is complete, accurate, and signed properly with original signatures.

Other Violations

The audit disclosed the following other violation(s):

Inadequate Bonding

The audit revealed a violation of LNIRDA Section 502 (Bonding), which requires that union officers and employees be bonded for no less than 10 percent of the total funds those individuals or their predecessors handled during the preceding fiscal year.

Local 769's officers and employees are currently bonded for $35,000 but they must be bonded for at least $41,953.88. Local 769 should obtain adequate bonding coverage for its officers and employees immediately. Please provide proof of bonding coverage to this office as soon as possible, but not later than November 2, 2008.

I want to extend my personal appreciation to Stage and Picture Operators Local 769 for the cooperation and courtesy extended during this compliance audit. I strongly recommend that you make sure this letter and the compliance assistance materials provided to you are passed on to future officers. If we can provide any additional assistance, please do not hesitate to call.

Sincerely,
Investigator
cc: President John Salyers