Labor Related Articles
The following “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” comes verbatim from the Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS), released May 30, 2019. The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) today published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to establish a Form T–1 to require annual reporting on financial information pertinent to “trusts in which a labor organization is interested” (“section 3(l) trusts”). See: www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-05-30/pdf/2019-10971.pdf. Historically, this information has largely gone unreported despite the significant impact such trusts have on a labor organization’s financial operations and their members’ interests. This proposal is part of the Department’s continuing effort to better effectuate the reporting requirements of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA). The Department proposes to require a labor organization with total annual receipts of $250,000 or more to file a Form T–1, under certain circumstances, for each section 3(l) trust, as defined by 29 U.S.C. § 402(l) of the LMRDA. Under this proposed rule, the Form T-1 reporting requirements are triggered where the labor organization during the reporting period, either alone or in combination with other labor organizations, (1) selects or appoints the majority of the members of the trust’s governing board, or (2) contributes more than 50 percent of the trust’s receipts. Through transparency, the LMRDA’s various reporting provisions are designed to empower labor organization members by providing them the means to maintain democratic control over their labor organizations and ensure a proper accounting of labor organization funds. Labor organization members are better able to monitor their labor organization’s financial affairs and to make informed choices about the leadership of their labor organization and its direction when labor organizations disclose financial information as required by the LMRDA. By reviewing a labor organization’s financial reports, a member may ascertain the labor organization’s priorities and whether they are in accord with the member’s own priorities and those of fellow members. At the same time, this transparency promotes the labor organization’s own interests as a democratic institution and the interests of the public and the government. Furthermore, the LMRDA’s reporting and disclosure provisions operate to safeguard a labor organization’s funds from depletion by improper or illegal means. Timely and complete reporting helps to deter embezzlement or other improper use of such funds. To Submit Comments: OLMS must receive comments by July 29, 2019, identified by RIN 1245-AA09, and submitted by the following method: Internet—Federal eRulemaking Portal. Electronic comments must be submitted throughhttp://www.regulations.gov. To locate the proposed rule, use key words such as “Labor-Management Standards” or “Labor Organization Annual Financial Reports for Trusts” to search documents accepting comments. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Please be advised that comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. Submit comments under the Paperwork Reduction Act by mail to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-OLMS, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: 202-395-5806 (this is not a toll-free number); or by email: [email protected]. Commenters are encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any such comments to OLMS. For Further Information Contact: Andrew R. Davis, Chief of the Division of Interpretations and Standards, Office of Labor-Management Standards, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue N.W., Room N-5609, Washington, DC 20210, [email protected], (202) 693-0123 (this is not a toll-free number), (800) 877-8339 (TTY/TDD). |
| The Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs released the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rulemaking priorities today. The release, included in the twice-yearly Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions (Long Term Actions/Short Term Actions), is based on a submission prepared at the direction of NLRB Chairman John F. Ring. Chairman Ring stated, “The Agenda reflects the Board majority’s strong interest in continued rulemaking. Addressing these important topics through rulemaking allows the Board to consider and issue guidance in a clear and more comprehensive manner.” In addition to the NLRB proceeding joint-employer standard rulemaking, the Board will also consider rulemaking in the following areas: |
- Current representation-case procedures;
- Standards for blocking charges, voluntary recognition, and the formation of Section 9(a) bargaining relationships in the construction industry;
- The standard for determining whether students who perform services at private colleges or universities in connection with their studies are “employees” within the meaning of Section 2(3) of the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. Sec. 153(3)); and
- Standards for access to an employer’s private property.
Find the official NLRB press release here.
RWP Labor CEO Russ Brown testifies before the National Mediation Board on eliminating the Straw Man process required in railroad and airline decertifications. Brown works with and through a legal defense foundation to bring freedom of association to American independent employees.
Learn more starting on page 22, http://www.nmb.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Meeting_PDFTran.pdf
After a recent election at Elon University in North Carolina, where 56% of voting faculty members selected the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to represent them, Elon filed 6 objections to the election. The objections accused the union of
- posing as students to gain access to faculty conversations;
- promising ballots only to those who favored the union;
- coercing faculty members into supporting the SEIU with false information
- undermining Elon’s representative and transparent shared governance system; and
- stalking, bullying, and outright lying to Elon faculty.
The National Labor Relations Board has delayed certifying the results of this election until they have finished an investigation of the accusations, at which point SEIU could face litigation over their behavior if the charges are not dismissed.
Read more about it here.
According to a recent Goldman Sachs report, wages have accelerated in recent months, with a cycle-high pace of 3.4%. The Indeed Hiring Lab has also stated that “In January 2019, wages grew by 3.2% year-over-year, up from the general 2.6-2.8% range wage growth had been hovering from mid-2016 to mid-2018.”
Both reports point to lower wage brackets as the beneficiaries of this increase, a trend that is expected to continue into the future.
Read more about these reports, as well as an analysis of their findings on the American Enterprise Institute’s website here.
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.) has introduced two new bills to develop the country’s workforce, the USA Workforce Tax Credit Act and the Workforce for an Expanding Economy Act, which are aimed at filling the country’s 6.6 million available jobs.
The USA Workforce Tax Credit Act would provide a tax credit of up to $2 billion to encourage apprenticeships, education, workforce development, and K-12 educational preparedness.
The Workforce for an Expanding Economy Act would create an immigration visa system for less-skilled workers to do year-round, non-farm work. These visa workers would only be allowed to work for an approved employer at a specific approved location and for a specific job.
Read more about the proposed bills here.
Articles by the RWP Team
