CLEVELAND, November 12 — Early next year, the BLET Education and Training Department will conduct a workshop for all Secretary-Treasurers who file LM-2 reports for their General Committee of Adjustment (GCA), Division or State Legislative Board. The workshop will be held in Long Beach, Calif., from February 8-11, 2016.
Each year, labor organizations must file a financial report with the U.S. Department of Labor. The filing requirements are determined by the total annual receipts of the union, and the LM-2 is required for units with $250,000 or more in total annual receipts. The upcoming workshop is generally intended for Secretary-Treasurers from many BLET General Committees of Adjustment and larger Divisions along with some State Legislative Boards.
For all attendees, the class will begin at 4 p.m. on Monday, February 8. Tuesday through Thursday sessions will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude between 5 and 6 p.m. The workshop will end on Thursday, February 11, and checkout will be noon on Friday February 12.
For those who attended last year’s LM-2 class, much has changed in the past year and there will be several new segments included in the 2016 LM-2 class to explain those changes. In addition, Secretary-Treasurers will review LM-2 reporting during this session along with membership reporting, filing requirements, bond requirements, and computer applications. There will also be a review of methods for filing various Department of Labor and Railroad Retirement reports, as well as Federal tax returns. A representative from the Department of Labor will be on hand to answer questions and offer advice regarding the preparation of LM-2 reports.
Also included in the training will be a segment titled “Tips, Tricks and Traps.” It will feature examples of problem areas on the LM-2 to help filers avoid mistakes and clear up common misunderstandings. Instructors will guide attendees through the LM-2, item-by-item and schedule-by-schedule, in order to help them understand and avoid the pitfalls of the LM-2.
A special segment of the 2016 workshop will focus on the records that must be kept to comply with the new LM-2 form, including itemization of certain expenses as well as estimates of time spent by officers and employees in five “functional activity” categories.
Other segments will include an overview of the BLET online dues reporting program, a QuickBooks refresher, and information on the LM-2 digital signatures titled “The Seven Deadly Sins of Union Recordkeeping.”
Attendees will work with their actual information and will be working on their own LM-2 report for calendar year 2015.
The class will be held in Long Beach, Calif. Once you register for the class at www.ble-t.org/gcast you will receive a confirmation that will contain the hotel information you will need to make your reservation.
Upon successful completion of the course, attendees will qualify for a $140 per day stipend from the North American Railway Foundation (NARF). The stipends will be paid directly to the General Committee, State Legislative Board, or Division.
NARF is a non-profit operating foundation formed by the Brotherhood’s Relief and Compensation Fund (BR&CF) to support rail history, education, safety and technology in the United States and Canada. With initial funding and continued Board of Directors stewardship coming from the BR&CF, NARF has supported many varied non-political projects throughout the United States and Canada over the past 19 years. The primary focus of these efforts has been in support of organized rail labor… giving back to all of the men and women of the railroad community across North America.
If you have any questions regarding this workshop or any other training related concerns, please contact Special Representative and Director of Education and Training Jason Wright at (216) 296-4447 or wright@ble-t.org.