Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The 503 voice. (Salem, OR) ????-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2016)
Rights of Unioii Members and Responsibilities of Officers The Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) guarantees certain rights to union members and imposes certain responsibilities on union officers. The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) enforces many LMRDA provisions while other provisions, such as the bill of rights, may only be enforced by union members through private suit in federal court. Union Member Rights Union Officer Responsibilities Bill of Rights - Union members have: • equal rights to participate in union activities manage the funds and property of the union solely for Financial Safeguards - Union officers have a duty to • freedom of speech and assembly the benefit of the union and its members in accordance • voice in setting rates of dues, fees, and assessments with the union's constitution and bylaws. Union officers • protection of the right to sue or employees who embezzle or steal union funds or other • safeguards against improper discipline assets commit a Federal crime punishable by a fine and/ or imprisonment. Copies of Collective Bargaining Agreements - Union members and non-union employees have Bonding - Union officers or employees who handle union the right to receive or inspect copies of collective funds or property must be bonded to provide protection bargaining agreements. against losses if their union has property and annual financial receipts which exceed $5,000. Reports - Unions are required to file an initial information report (Form LM-1), copies of constitutions and bylaws, Labor Organization Reports - Union officers must: and an annual financial report (Form LM-2/3/4) with • OLMS. Unions must make the reports available to members and permit members to Examine supporting file an initial information report (Form LM-1) and annual financial reports (Forms LM-2/3/4) with OLMS • retain the records necessary to verify the reports for at least five years records for just cause. The reports are public information and copies are available from the OLMS Internet Public Disclosure Room at www.union-reports.dol.gov. Officer Reports - Union officers and employees must file reports concerning any loans and benefits received Officer Elections - Union members have the right to: from, or certain financial interests in, employers whose • nominate candidates for office employees their unions represent and businesses that • run for office deal with their unions. • cast a secret ballot • protest the conduct of an election Officer Elections - Unions must: • Officer Removal - Local union members have the right to an adequate procedure for the removal of an elected hold elections of officers of local unions by secret - ballot at least every three years • officer guilty of serious misconduct. conduct regular elections in accordance with their constitution and bylaws and preserve all records for one year Trusteeships - Unions may only be placed in trusteeship • mail a notice of election to every member at least • comply with a candidate's request to distribute by a parent body for the reasons specified in the LMRDA. 15 days prior to the election Prohibition Against Certain Discipline - A union or any of its officials may not fine, expel, or otherwise discipline a member for exercising any LMRDA right. campaign material • not use union funds or resources to promote any candidate (nor may employer funds or resources be used) Prohibition Against Violence - No one may use or • permit candidates to have election observers threaten to use force or violence to interfere with a union • allow candidates to inspect the union's membership member in the exercise of LMRDA rights. list once within 30 days prior to the election Restrictions on Holding Office - A person convicted of certain crimes may not serve as a union officer, 2016 Board of Directors Meeting Schedule employee, or other representative of a union for up to SEIU 503 Board of Directors meetings are held on Saturdays at our SEIU Salem Headquarters (subject to change). Board meetings are posted on our website at www.seiu503.org. Loans - A union may not have outstanding loans to any The tentative meeting schedule is: • January 23 • September 10 (tentative, the • March 12 Board does not always meet in September after General May 14 Council) * • JulY9 August 3 (the day before General Council convenes) . November 19 13 years. one officer or employee that in total exceed $2,000 at any time. Fines - A union may not pay the fine of any officer or employee convicted of any willful violation of the LMRDA.
