Key Takeaways

  • The Landrum Griffin Act (LMRDA) of 1959 regulates internal union affairs and union-official relationships with employers.
  • It was enacted to combat corruption, improve transparency, and protect union members’ rights.
  • The Act introduced a Union Members’ Bill of Rights, strict reporting requirements, and safeguards against misuse of funds.
  • It amended the Taft-Hartley Act to prohibit secondary boycotts, “hot cargo” agreements, and other coercive union tactics.
  • The law is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor, with penalties for violations ranging from fines to imprisonment.
  • Titles I–VI of the Act cover member rights, financial reporting, trusteeships, elections, and enforcement mechanisms.

What Is the Landrum Griffin Act?

The Landrum Griffin Act, also known as the labor management reporting and disclosure act of 1959, is a labor law that sets regulations for the internal affairs of labor unions, and their official's relationships with employers. The main intention of this act is to ensure that union practices are just and fair, and do not exploit members or use the union as a tool for criminal activity.

A History of the 1959 Landrum-Griffin Act

The main events in the timeline of the act are outlined in order below:

  • After the Taft-Hartley Act was passed, the number of union victories in elections conducted by the National Labor Relations Board declined.
  • The Wagner Act saw a 12-year administration with a strong percentage of victories by unions documented in elections. However, in the first year after the Taft-Hartley Act was passed, there was a 10 percent reduction in victories (from 80 to 70 percent).
  • The 1950s arrived and saw the U.S. labor movement under intense scrutiny by congress for several matters of misconduct, including racketeering, corruption, and other matters.
  • The scrutiny placed on the labor movement, the decline in union victories, and other cracks in the laws of the Taft-Hartley Act and the Wagner Act were all alarm bells for congress who decided in 1959 that extra reforms were necessary.
  • Later that year, President Eisenhower signed the Landrum-Griffin Act, which changed many details of the Taft-Hartley agreement.

Why the Landrum Griffin Act Was Needed

By the late 1950s, widespread reports of racketeering, financial mismanagement, and ties between union leaders and organized crime threatened the integrity of the labor movement. Congressional investigations, most notably the McClellan Committee hearings, uncovered union abuses ranging from embezzlement of funds to intimidation of members. Lawmakers saw that neither the Wagner Act nor the Taft-Hartley Act sufficiently addressed internal union democracy or financial transparency. The Landrum Griffin Act emerged as a bipartisan effort to restore public trust in unions while balancing worker rights and employer interests.

The 1959 Landrum-Griffin Act and Amendments to Taft-Hartley

Following the 1959 introduction of the Landrum-Griffin Act, several changes were introduced. The number of amendments was extensive, but perhaps some of the most notable involved the U.S. state labor boards and courts being given jurisdiction over cases that were rejected by the board and any unethical, unlawful processes that involved one business manipulating another into acting a certain way (hot cargo agreements and secondary boycotting for instance) were outlawed.

The new laws aimed to protect the rights of employees from unfair practices by either their union or their employer. To this end, the Landrum-Griffin Act protects the union membership rights of employees from unions, and the National Labor Relations Act protects the rights of employees from unfair practices by unions or employers.

This topic is quite extensive and not all points are relevant to all businesses. For further reading on the changes introduced by the act, and the industries affected, refer to the National Labor Relations board breakdown.

Key Provisions of the Landrum Griffin Act

The Act has several important components designed to increase accountability and protect both workers and union members:

  • Union Members’ Bill of Rights: Ensures equal voting rights, freedom of speech within unions, and protection from unfair discipline.
  • Financial Reporting: Requires unions, officers, and labor consultants to disclose income, expenditures, and potential conflicts of interest.
  • Election Oversight: Establishes standards for secret ballot elections and Department of Labor supervision when elections are disputed.
  • Trusteeships: Limits when a parent union can take over a local union and requires justification for doing so.
  • Safeguards Against Corruption: Bars convicted felons from holding union office for a set period and imposes penalties for misuse of union funds.

These provisions aimed to strike a balance between allowing unions to self-govern and ensuring accountability to their members.

The Landrum-Griffin Act

The Act covers matters relating to the relationship between a union and the members within it. It protects the rights of union members against potentially corrupt or exploitative unions and employers.

The Landrum-Griffin Bill of Rights

Under a separate area of this new legislature, a code of conduct was established which guaranteed union members certain rights within their union and set reporting requirements for the involved parties (union officers, unions, consultants, and employers). The administration of these provisions was assigned to the Department of Labor.

The Landrum-Griffin Act established a Bill of Rights for union members. This bill outlines:

  • The reporting requirements that labor-relations consultants, employers, employees, union officers, and surety companies should follow.
  • The standards to be followed when union officers are elected.
  • What the safeguards are for protecting labor organization funds and assets.

Actions Against Unethical Behaviors

Following offenses of corruption, and the uncovering of ties between labor and organized crime, President Eisenhower and Senator John. L. McClellan were insistent that the new law was needed to help ensure that unions were more honest and democratic in their operation. New actions to promote honesty included issuing penalties against:

  • The misuse of union funds.
  • Officials who commit crimes.
  • Labor officials who use violence to prevent union members from exercising their rights.

A strict ban on secondary boycotts was also introduced.

Enforcement of the Act

The Landrum Griffin Act is primarily enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS). The OLMS oversees union financial disclosures, investigates election irregularities, and ensures compliance with reporting requirements. Union members also have the right to bring private lawsuits if their rights under the Act are violated. Penalties for violations may include:

  • Fines for failing to file financial reports or providing false information.
  • Civil actions to restore misused union funds.
  • Criminal penalties, including imprisonment, for corruption or fraud.

This strong enforcement framework was intended to deter corruption and empower union members to hold their leadership accountable.

Title I of the Act

Title I of the Landrum Griffin Act mainly discusses the fair treatment that the Act expects, and enforces, for employees and union members. This treatment includes:

  • Equal rights when voting in elections for all individuals.
  • Freedom of speech during union meetings.
  • Freedom to attend meetings.
  • A secret ballot voting method used when voting on increases in dues or assessments.
  • Individuals subject to disciplinary procedures must be given written notification of charges, time to prepare for the hearing, and a fair trial.
  • No disciplinary methods for individuals exercising statutory rights.
  • Members meeting and assembling freely with other members (provided they follow the rules related to meeting conduct, etc.).
  • Not disciplining, fining, or suspending members without following the correct procedures and being given a fair hearing.
  • Labor organizations not doing anything to prohibit or limit the right of members to take legal action or try to intimidate or influence their behavior in any way.
  • No fees or rates amended, and no special entry criteria introduced unless such actions are introduced and approved by national or international labor organizations.

Title II of the Act

The second title of the Landrum Griffin Act deals with the union's management of finances, and mainly exists to prevent any incorrect use of monies or criminal behavior. It states that unions must have constitutions and bylaws and should file copies of each of these with the U.S. Secretary of Labor. Any potential conflicts of interest between a union officer or employee's personal situation and the union duties must be disclosed.

The title specifies several reports that unions must file:

  • Dues, fees, and assessments
  • Financial auditing
  • Qualifications for membership
  • Authorization for the disbursement of funds and other spending

Other reports must be filed that lay out the financial position of the union. These should include:

  • Assets and liabilities at both the start and end of the fiscal year
  • Receipts, salaries, and any reimbursements for expenses
  • Details of loans given to any employee, union member, union officer, or business.

Other Titles of the Landrum Griffin Act

Beyond Titles I and II, the Act includes additional sections that broaden protections and accountability:

  • Title III (Trusteeships): Regulates how and when larger unions may assume control over local unions, requiring transparency and a valid purpose.
  • Title IV (Elections): Sets standards for union officer elections, requiring secret ballots and giving the Department of Labor authority to intervene in cases of fraud or misconduct.
  • Title V (Safeguards for Labor Organizations): Imposes fiduciary responsibilities on union officers, ensuring that union assets are used solely for the benefit of members.
  • Title VI (Miscellaneous Provisions): Covers enforcement mechanisms and establishes penalties for violations.

Together, these titles ensure that unions operate democratically, responsibly, and in the best interest of their members.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What does the Landrum Griffin Act do?
    It protects union members’ rights, ensures financial transparency, and prevents corruption within labor unions.
  2. Who enforces the Landrum Griffin Act?
    The U.S. Department of Labor, specifically the Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS), enforces the Act.
  3. How does the Act protect union members?
    It guarantees voting rights, free speech within unions, access to financial information, and fair disciplinary procedures.
  4. What union practices did the Act ban?
    The Act prohibited secondary boycotts, “hot cargo” agreements, and other coercive tactics that pressured neutral employers.
  5. Can union members sue under the Landrum Griffin Act?
    Yes. Members can bring private lawsuits to enforce their rights if the union leadership violates the Act.

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