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ESA News Release: [03/01/2005] Contact Name: Yvonne
Ralsky Pamela Groover Phone Number: (202) 693-4676 Release Number:
05-0326-NAT
Labor Department Releases 2004 Program Highlights for
The Office of Labor-Management Standards
WASHINGTONThe U.S. Department of Labor's Office
of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) today released its "2004 Program
Highlights" annual report. This is the first annual report to be issued by OLMS
since 1978 and highlights the fiscal year success of the agency and the
importance of its role in supporting America's workforce.
"OLMS has worked extensively and successfully in 2004 to achieve its
three-pronged mission of safeguarding union assets, ensuring financial
responsibility and advancing union democracy for America's union members,"
stated Don Todd, deputy assistant secretary for labor-management programs.
In working to safeguard union assets, OLMS conducted compliance
assistance sessions on financial reporting and record-keeping while also
initiating extensive investigations in 2004. These investigations led to 111
criminal convictions for crimes involving union assets.
A number of major criminal cases were concluded. The former president
of the Washington Teachers' Union and four associated individuals have pled
guilty to charges relating to fraud, money laundering and embezzlement of more
than $4.5 million. After an investigation of the relationship between the
international officers and designated legal counsel of the United
Transportation Union, a long-standing pattern of corruption and racketeering
was found. The sitting president of the international union ultimately
resigned, and he and the previous international president were convicted of
RICO conspiracy. Finally, OLMS and other federal agencies have been
investigating Elevator Constructors Local One in New York City and other unions
for "no show jobs" and "labor peace payoff" schemes. To date, there have been
more than 50 individuals charged with crimes, resulting in over 30 guilty pleas
or convictions, and the investigation is continuing.
"A number of these crimes might not have been committed if the union
officers involved had been complying with their conflict-of-interest (LM-30)
obligations," Todd said. "In our ongoing effort to strengthen union financial
transparency and integrity on behalf of union members, the department is
reviewing the LM-30 reporting requirement and will be proposing ways to
modernize and improve these reports."
Additionally, in working toward ensuring union democracy, OLMS
completed 107 election investigations and supervised 28 union officer elections
in 2004.
OLMS, part of the Department of Labor's Employment Standards
Administration, administers and enforces most provisions of the
Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (LMRDA) to ensure basic
standards of democracy and fiscal responsibility in labor organizations
representing employees in private industry. For further information, please
visit www.dol.gov.
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