Feds target union locals for audits

The U.S. Labor Department is cracking down on labor union locals nationwide.

The DOL is sending teams of auditors out to scrutinize the finances and recordkeeping of many local unions, in what some union leaders see as payback for the strong opposition labor mounted to the Bush re-election campaign last year.

The Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International Union (PACE) is among those hosting federal auditors at many of its local union offices. 

PACE, which is based in Nashville, represents 275,000 workers in the paper, chemical and energy industries and has notified all of its locals to expect federal audits this year. 

The DOL claims it isn’t just picking on labor, but is increasing its enforcement of safety and pension laws on employers too.

The AFL-CIO said the audits are meant to burden all labor unions. — Sherry Halbrook