DOL to Rescind Union Watchdog Regs
By Billy Gribbin
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Monday, October 11, 2010 12:09 pm
Two months ago, the Office of Labor Management Standards (OLMS) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) announcing its intention to withdraw requirements for labor union officials to disclose conflicts of interest. The window for submitting public comments on—and objections to—the proposed change will expire on Tuesday, October 12th.
In a move that weakens the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA), OLMS, headed by Director John Lund, plans to revise Form LM-30, a reporting requirement which insures against union corruption. The latest revision of LM-30 took place in 2007 after extensive evaluation and a liberal 150 day period for public review and comments. The currently proposed alteration would drastically hamstring the DOL’s effort to police union activity by exempting union officials from reporting special employer payments, loans from union-run credit unions, and underhanded payments from union trusts.
Why should OLMS again rework the LM-30 after having done so, quite circumspectly, very recently? The answer is simple: union bosses are complaining, and under the current administration, DOL is headed by the kind of political appointees who will cater to them. There is nothing to be gained by returning to the mob-like union days of Jimmy Hoffa, which is precisely what the re-imagined LM-30 would accomplish.
Click here to tell DOL what you think...there's one day left.
Click here for an excellent analysis by Americans for Limited Government.
Tags: REGREF, Federal
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