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October 5, 2008 DOL Home > Compliance Assistance > By Topic > Union and Union Members > Union Elections |
Title IV of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (LMRDA) establishes standards for elections of union officers. Local unions must elect their officers by secret ballot and national and international unions and intermediate bodies must elect their officers either by secret ballot of the members or by delegates chosen by secret ballot. Elections by national and international unions must be held at least every five years, intermediate bodies at least every four years, and local unions at least every three years. Unions and employers may not use their funds to promote the candidacy of any candidate, although union funds may be used to conduct an election. A union member in good standing has the right to nominate candidates, be a candidate subject to reasonable qualifications uniformly imposed, hold office, and support and vote for the candidates of the member's choice. Unions must mail a notice of election to every member at the member's last-known home address at least 15 days before the election. A union member may file a complaint with the Secretary of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS), alleging violations of union officer election procedures. However, the union member must first exhaust internal election remedies or invoke such remedies without obtaining a final decision within three calendar months. COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE MATERIALS
APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS
*Pursuant to the U.S. Department of Labor's Confidentiality Protocol for Compliance Assistance Inquiries, information provided by a telephone caller will be kept confidential within the bounds of the law. Compliance assistance inquiries will not trigger an inspection, audit, investigation, etc. |
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