U.S. Department of Labor
Employment Standards Administration
Office of Labor-Management Standards
Nashville District Office
P.O. Box 79255
Charlotte, NC 28271
(704)845-2775 Fax: (704)845-2775
April 15, 2008
John Miller, Treasurer
IBEW Local 1183
P.O. Box 1083
Plymouth, NC 27962-1083
LM File Number 050-151
Case Number:-----
Dear Mr. Miller:
This office has recently completed an audit of 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 Financial Secretary Charles Liverman on April 8,2008, 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.
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 conditions and operations. The Labor Organization Annual Report (Form LM-3) filed by Local 1183 for fiscal year ending July 31,2004, was deficient in the following areas:
1. 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 1183 amended its constitution and bylaws in 2004, but did not file a copy with its LM report for that year. Local 1183 has now filed a copy of its constitution and bylaws.
2. Disbursements to Officers
Local 1183 did not report the names of some officers and the total amounts of payments to or on their behalf of some officers 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 also report most direct disbursements to Local 1183 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).
I am not requiring that Local 1183 file an amended LM report for 2007 to correct the deficient items, but Local 1183 has agreed to properly report the deficient items on all future reports it files with OLMS.
I want to extend my personal appreciation to 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,
Senior Investigator