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
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voice in setting rates of dues, fees, and assessments
with the union's constitution and bylaws. Union officers
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protection of the right to sue
or employees who embezzle or steal union funds or other
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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.