U.S. Dept. of Labor Forces Union Disclosure
Summary
In December 2002, the Department of Labor proposed regulatory changes that would protect union members by improving transparency and disclosure. The proposal would modernize the annual financial reports unions file with the Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS). These reports are required under the 1959 Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, often referred to as the Landrum-Griffin Act. During the public comment period, the Department received more than 35,000 comments and carefully considered all of them during the crafting of the final rule.
The rule updates the reporting categories on LM-2 forms that large unions file to more accurately reflect the services these unions provide to their members.
More Transparency and Disclosure are Needed. Over the past 5 years, OLMS convictions for union corruption have averaged 11 per month. The recent Washington Teachers’ Union case shows how much damage can be done to union members without improved transparency.
