[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 928 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 928

 To amend the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 to 
 ensure that employees have adequate access and information regarding 
     the use of employee dues and fees paid to labor organizations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 5, 1997

  Mr. Christensen (for himself, Mr. Bass, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Coburn, Mr. 
  Dickey, Mr. Hastings of Washington, Mr. Norwood, and Mr. Whitfield) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                      Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 to 
 ensure that employees have adequate access and information regarding 
     the use of employee dues and fees paid to labor organizations.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Union Members Right to Know Act of 
1997''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Section 2 of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 
1959 (29 U.S.C. 401(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Protection of Right of Employee to Information Regarding Use 
of Dues.--The Congress further finds that employees should have 
complete access to information regarding expenditures by labor 
organizations to whom they pay dues or agency fees.''.

SEC. 3. REPORT OF LABOR ORGANIZATIONS.

    (a) Reporting Requirements.--Section 201(b) of the Labor-Management 
Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (29 U.S.C. 431(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking the word ``and'' at the end of paragraph 
        (5)--
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (6) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) an itemization of the total amount spent by the labor 
        organization for--
                    ``(A) contract negotiation and administration ;
                    ``(B) organizing activities;
                    ``(C) strike activities;
                    ``(D) political activities (other than the 
                activities listed in subparagraph (E);
                    ``(E) activities attempting to influence the 
                passage or defeat of Federal, State, or local 
                legislation or the content or enforcement of Federal, 
                State, or local regulations or policies;
                    ``(F) voter education and issue advocacy 
                activities;
            ``(8) the percentage of the labor organization's total 
        expenditures that were spent for each of the activities 
        described in subparagraphs (A) through (F) of paragraph (7);
            ``(9) the names, addresses, and activities of any of the 
        lobbyists whose services are used by the labor organization for 
        any activity described in subparagraphs (D) through (F) of 
        paragraph (7);
            ``(10) a list of political candidates, political 
        organizations, charitable organizations, and community 
        organizations to which the labor organization contributed 
        financial or in-kind assistance and the dollar amount of such 
        assistance;
            ``(11) the name and address of any political action 
        committees with which the labor organization is affiliated or 
        provides contributions, the total amount of contributions to 
        such committees, the candidates or causes to which such 
        committees provided any financial assistance, and the amount 
        provided to each such candidate or cause.''.
    (b) Methodology.--Section 201(b) of the Labor-Management Reporting 
and Disclosure Act of 1959 (29 U.S.C. 431(b)) is amended by adding at 
the end (as amended by subsection (a)) the following:
``The method used to calculate the percentages required in paragraphs 
(7) through (11) shall be consistent from year to year and an 
explanation shall be attached to the report describing the method 
used.''.

SEC. 4. INFORMATION TO EMPLOYEES.

    Section 201(c) of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act 
of 1959 (29 U.S.C. 431(c)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``make available information'' and 
        inserting ``provide on an annual basis complete copies of the 
        reports'';
            (2) by striking ``its members'' and inserting ``the 
        employees it represents'';
            (3) by striking ``any member of such organization'' and 
        inserting ``any employee represented by such organization''; 
        and
            (4) by striking ``such member'' and inserting ``such 
        employee''.
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