September 16, 2010 Articles
September 15 Marks the 51st Anniversary of LMRDA
September 15 marked the 51st anniversary of the enactment of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act which grants certain rights to union members and protects their interests by promoting democratic procedures within labor organizations. At the Department of Labor, it is the responsibility of the Office of Labor Management Standards to enforce provisions of the LMRDA.
The LMRDA establishes:
- A Bill of Rights for union members
- Reporting requirements for labor organizations, union officers and employees, employers, labor-relations consultants, and surety companies
- Standards for election of union officers
- Safeguards for protecting labor organization funds and assets
The Office of Labor Management Standards enforces provisions of the LMRDA and has the following responsibilities:
Labor Organization Officer Elections: The LMRDA establishes democratic standards for conducting union officer elections, such as the frequency and method of election, the right of members in good standing to be candidates, rights of candidates, and voting rights of members. OLMS investigates and supervises a number of elections in order to ensure adherence to these standards.
Trusteeships: OLMS conducts investigations to determine the validity of the imposition or continuation of trusteeships imposed by national unions on subordinate bodies.
Reporting and Disclosure: Under LMRDA, OLMS administers a comprehensive reporting and disclosure program. Each union subject to the LMRDA is required to file an initial information report (Form LM-1) and copies of their constitution and bylaws. Unions must also file annual financial reports (Forms LM-2, LM-3, or LM-4) with OLMS each year. Additionally, other entities and individuals – employers, labor relations consultants, union officers and employees, and surety companies—are required to file reports under specified circumstances. Reports are public information and available on the OLMS Internet reporting page, www.unionreports.gov.Financial Integrity: Under the LMRDA, it is a Federal crime for a labor union officer or an individual employed directly or indirectly by a union to embezzle, steal, or convert funds of the union. The Act also contains other criminal provisions including willful false reporting and violation of certain requirements governing the operations of subordinate bodies under trusteeship. As part of its effort to protect and safeguard union funds and assets, OLMS investigates violations of criminal laws.