Arizona Congressman Matt Salmon introduced the Union Integrity Act this week. H.R. 3637, The Union Integrity Act, amends the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) to provide whistle-blower protections for officers and employees of labor unions.
Salmon says that his bill “would ensure protection for honest union officers and encourage the disclosure of corruption and malfeasance in union workplaces.”
The bill prohibits unions from firing, discriminating, or otherwise retaliating against a union employee that provided information about violations of either the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) or the LMRDA. Similarly, unions cannot terminate or discriminate against employees who object to or refuse to participate in any activities that violate the law.
“Whistle-blower laws are designed to protect employees, hold employers and supervisors accountable, and ensure a safe and morally straight work environment. Amazingly, many of these types of protections do not apply to union employees.
“As in other private and public sector industries, union workers should not be forced to choose between their job or their conscience,” concluded Salmon. “They should be able to shine a light on corruption or violations of their unions’ fiduciary duties, without the threat of union boss retaliation.”