Below is a list of voluntary compliance agreements entered into in 2021.
On November 17, 2021, OLMS entered into a voluntary compliance agreement with Woodward MPC Employees Representative Union (located in Niles, Ill.) concerning the union’s July 7, 2021 election of officers. The union agreed to conduct new nominations, a new election, and installation for the offices of president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and chief steward under OLMS supervision before March 18, 2022. The OLMS investigation found that the union failed to provide proper notice of nominations and election. The investigation further found that candidates campaigned at nomination meetings and posted campaign material on union bulletin boards while other candidates were denied the same opportunities to campaign. The agreement follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On October 18, 2021, OLMS entered into a voluntary compliance agreement with Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) Local 172-TD (located in Philadelphia, Pa.). The union agreed to conduct new nominations, a new election, and installation for the offices of president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and trustees (three positions) on or before March 11, 2022. The investigation concluded that the union failed to provide proper notice of nominations when approximately half of its membership, who were furloughed during the nomination period, were not notified, in violation of Section 401(e) of the LMRDA. The agreement follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh Office.
On September 28, 2021, OLMS entered into a voluntary compliance agreement with United Steelworkers (USW) Local 8-495 (located in Radford, Va.). The union agreed to conduct new nominations, a new election, and installation for the offices of president, vice president, secretary-treasurer, sergeant-at-arms, recording secretary, top committee (five), and trustee (three) before December 17, 2021. The investigation concluded that the union denied members in good standing the right to be candidates and hold office when it imposed an unreasonable candidacy requirement requiring members to attend one-third of the membership meetings in the 24-month period prior to nominations, in violation of Section 401(e) of the LMRDA. The agreement follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On June 16, 2021, OLMS entered into a voluntary compliance agreement with American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 936 (located in Reno, Nev.). The union agreed to conduct a new election and installation for the offices of president and vice president before September 17, 2021. The investigation concluded that employer funds were used to promote two candidates in that they campaigned to members while they were working and other candidates were denied this same opportunity, in violation of Section 401(g) of the LMRDA. The agreement follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
On June 15, 2021, OLMS entered into a voluntary compliance agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees (located in Washington, D.C.) concerning AFGE District 7’s October 10, 2020 election of union officers. AFGE agreed to hold a new election for the office of District 7 National Vice President. The investigation concluded that the District 7 Caucus Credentials Committee seated some delegates with incomplete credentials and seated other delegates from locals that had failed to provide proper notice of election of delegates to their members, which resulted in ineligible delegates being permitted to vote. In addition, District 7 failed to elect its officers by secret ballot as required by the AFGE Constitution when it conducted voting via the internet. Finally, the investigation also determined that one candidate used a union cell phone to send text messages and make phone calls to promote her candidacy. The agreement follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On June 3, 2021, OLMS entered into a voluntary compliance agreement with National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 142 (located in Washington, D.C.). The union agreed to conduct a new election and installation for the office of president. The union agreed to complete the election before August 20, 2021 under OLMS supervision. The investigation concluded that a union list was used by one of the candidates to send campaign text messages, and the list was not provided to the other candidates in violation of Sections 401(c) and 401(g) of the LMRDA. The agreement follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On April 26, 2021, OLMS entered into a voluntary compliance agreement with Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 2100 (located in Middle River, Md.) concerning a December 11, 2020 challenged election of union officers. Local 2100 agreed to hold a new election for the office of secretary-treasurer. The investigation revealed that local officials improperly aided a candidate with a campaign mailing during the initial election while being paid by the union. The officials helped a candidate fold and stuff campaign flyers for distribution to the membership. The investigation further revealed that, during the runoff election, Local 2100 unfairly denied a candidate’s reasonable request to make a campaign mailing using the local’s membership email address list. The agreement follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On April 7, 2021, OLMS entered into a voluntary compliance agreement with Union of Patriots Plaza (UofPP), located in Pikesville, Md. The union agreed to conduct new nominations, election, and installation for the offices of president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer. The union agreed to complete the election before July 14, 2021 under OLMS supervision. The investigation concluded that the union has been in existence since at least September 2016 and has failed to conduct an election of officers in violation of Section 401(b) of the LMRDA and Article XI of the UofPP Constitution and Bylaws. The agreement follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On April 1, 2021, OLMS entered into a voluntary compliance agreement with Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 6222 (located in Houston, Tex.), to conduct a new election and installation for the offices of president, vice president II and III, and secretary-treasurer, along with executive board positions for AT&T Mobility (Call Center) and ASI, on or before June 30, 2021, under OLMS supervision. The investigation established that the local failed to provide adequate safeguards by using a ballot drop box that was left unattended and unsecured at the union hall during the election period and by failing to properly count ballots which resulted in an incorrect candidate being advanced to the runoff election for secretary-treasurer. Additionally, campaign literature was posted on AT&T company vehicles in violation of Section 401(g). The agreement follows an investigation conducted by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On March 25, 2021, OLMS entered into a voluntary compliance agreement with the New York Professional Nurses Union (NYPNU), located in New York, N.Y., concerning its regular election of officers in October 2020. NYPNU agreed to hold a new election for the offices of the vice president and seven executive board members under the supervision of OLMS. The investigation concluded that the union failed to mail notice of the election to the last known home address of all members at least 15 days prior to the election, denied new members the right to vote despite their having met the requirements for membership, and failed to provide adequate safeguards to ensure a fair election when it did not provide any advance notice of a change in its eligibility rules with respect to members who were in arrears after a leave of absence. The agreement follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
On February 24, 2021, OLMS entered into a voluntary compliance agreement with the International Entertainment Adult Union (IEAU), located in Woodland Hills, Calif., concerning a complaint alleging that the IEAU failed to hold an election of union officers. The IEAU agreed to hold an election for all offices under the supervision of OLMS. The investigation concluded that the local had not held an election since its founding in 2015. The agreement follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On February 16, 2021, OLMS entered into a voluntary compliance agreement with American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 3928 (located in Lincoln, Neb.) concerning an October 16, 2020 challenged election of union officers. Local 3928 agreed to hold a new election for the office of USCIS Vice President South. The investigation concluded that the local failed to treat both candidates in a rerun election equally with regard to distributing campaign literature. Local 3928 also failed to timely notify one of the candidates of the rerun and denied the same candidate an opportunity to make a campaign mailing. The agreement follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
On January 20, 2021, OLMS entered into a voluntary compliance agreement with United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 7 (located in Detroit, Mich.), concerning its regular election of officers in August 2020. The OLMS investigation disclosed that the union failed to provide adequate safeguards to ensure a fair election when, two days before the polling site election, the election committee posted notices throughout the workplace that stated nine candidates were disqualified from running even though the candidates were in fact listed on the ballot and qualified to run for office. The union agreed to conduct a new election and installation for the offices of president, vice president, recording secretary, sergeant-at-arms, guide, and three trustees, under OLMS supervision by June 30, 2021. The agreement follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On January 7, 2021, OLMS entered into a voluntary compliance agreement with American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 239 (located in Springfield, Ill.) to conduct a new election, and installation for the office of president on or before April 30, 2021, under the supervision of the Secretary of Labor. The investigation established that union funds were used to promote the candidacy of one candidate in that the August 2020 issue of the local newsletter, which was printed and distributed at local union expense, endorsed a candidate for president in violation of Section 401(g) of the LMRDA. The agreement follows an investigation conducted by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
Last Updated: 12-01-21