Labor Department reports $32 million in court-ordered union fund restitutions for workers in FY 2007
According to CCH Business and Corporate Compliance:
The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) has announced its criminal enforcement data for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, highlighting increases over previous years. Court-ordered restitution of union funds has risen in each year since FY 2001, with only one exception. In FY 2001, the amount was just under $2 million and in FY 2007, the amount was over $32 million. Criminal case processing is up 10 percent over FY 2001 (406 from 370), while convictions are up 16 percent (118 from 102). The bulk of the cases involve the embezzlement of union funds.
"Workers' union dues are being aggressively protected with more than $100 million ordered returned in this decade," said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Labor-Management Standards Don Todd. "Criminal activity such as we've found in these cases must be uncovered and prosecuted wherever possible. The workers that own this money deserve nothing less."
Another major initiative of OLMS has been an increase in the number of union audits. In FY 2004, increased staffing enabled OLMS to establish a new unit with the express mission of increasing OLMS audit presence in international unions, as well as assisting local unions in meeting disclosure requirements, thus enhancing compliance...click to continue.
