AWF Urges President Obama to Withdraw Opposition to Union Reporting
Today, AWF sent the following letter to President Obama urging him to withdraw his opposition to Form LM-30, the union conflict of interest reporting form:
Dear President Obama:
On behalf of the Alliance for Worker Freedom (AWF), a project representing millions of rank-and-file working Americans and business owners, I wish to express extreme disappointment in your decision to rescind the Form LM-30, conflict of interest reporting requirements for labor unions.
Your administration has boasted about its efforts to make government more transparent. However, your decision to rescind LM-30 puts an end to the ruling that requires labor unions and their leaders to report information about their finances and compensation. The end of such reporting requirements will keep hidden potentially corrupt financial arrangements.
This decision has undercut Secretary Elaine Chao’s last efforts to make labor unions more honest and accountable to their members. Since 2001, the Office of Labor Management Standards (OLMS) has convicted more than 780 union members and officials on charges of financial corruption and restored over $110 million in dues that were misused. However, their progress toward increasing accountability and transparency in labor unions is now diminished because of your decision.
Financial transparency is especially crucial during the current economic crisis, and failed transparency leaves citizens vulnerable for financial instability. We believe financial transparency is necessary to protect unions against fraud and corruption and to enhance responsibility among union officials. Transparency is necessary for union members to effectively engage in union-self governance, and that membership dues should be used to provide services for the members – not for other purposes prohibited by law.
President Obama, I urge you to withdraw your opposition to LM-30 and side with the rank and file union workers. Your support for accountability will allow you to keep the promises you made while campaigning – you stood for the type of governing that Form LM-30 creates.
Sincerely,
Brian M. Johnson, MPA
Executive Director
Cc: U.S. Members of Congress
