INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, January 17, 2023 — 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, Local Division or State Legislative Board. This workshop will be held at the Horseshoe Hotel (formerly Bally’s Hotel and Casino) in Las Vegas, Nevada, the week of February 27.
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 Adjustments and larger Divisions along with some State Legislative Boards.
For all attendees, the first session will begin with breakfast at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 28. All other sessions will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at 5:00 p.m. A breakfast and luncheon will be provided each day, and class will end on Thursday, March 2.
The BLET Education and Training Department is very excited to once again meet in person, after being limited to virtual workshops since early 2020. Leading the class will be Megan Mead, Director of the BLET’s Record and Compliance Department, and Walt Schmidt, Director of the BLET’s Online Services Department.
Much has changed in the past couple of years and there will be several new segments included in the 2023 LM-2 workshop. During this session, Secretary-Treasurers will review LM-2 reporting, membership reporting, filing requirements, bond requirements, computer applications, as well as other changes for reporting period 2022. 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.
A special segment of the 2023 workshop will focus on the records that must be maintained in conjunction with the annual 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’s UnionTrack reporting program and a QuickBooks refresher. Finally, attendees will work with their financial information to better prepare, organize, and finalize their 2022 LM-2 report.
All participants must register for the class at https://members.ble-t.org/EducationTraining/Register. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email that will contain more detailed hotel information and instructions for making your room reservation. If you have any problems securing your room in our reservation block, contact BLET Special Representative Matthew Kronyak at (201) 978-6436, or email kronyak@ble-t.org.
Upon successful completion of the course, attendees will qualify for a $98.00 per day stipend from the North American Railway Foundation (www.narfoundation.org). The stipends will be paid directly to the General Committee, State Legislative Board, or Division.
The North American Railway Foundation (NARF) is a non-profit 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 non-political projects throughout the United States and Canada. The primary focus of these efforts has been in support of organized rail labor — giving back to all the men and women of the railroad community across North America.
For more information, please contact David Estes, National Secretary-Treasurer and Department Head of the BLET Education and Training Department, at (216) 241-2630 ext. 227, or email estes@ble-t.org.