INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, December 19 — 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. This workshop will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana from March 10-13, 2020.
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 first session will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. All sessions will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude around 5:00 p.m. The class will end on Thursday, March 12, and checkout will be no later than 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 13, 2020. The discounted BLET room block is only good for Monday through Thursday night, so you should plan your travel accordingly.
For those who attended last year’s workshop, much has changed in the past year and there will be several new segments included in the 2020 LM-2 workshop. Also during this session, Secretary-Treasurers will review LM-2 reporting, membership reporting, filing requirements, bond requirements, computer applications, as well as changes for 2020. 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 workshop 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 2020 workshop will focus on the records that must be kept to comply with the 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. Attendees will work with their actual information to help them prepare their own LM-2 report for calendar year 2019.
Once you register for the class at https://www.ble-t.org/registration/ you will receive a confirmation that will contain the hotel information. You will need to make your room reservation at that time. (Room reservations cut-off is February 13, 2020.)
Upon successful completion of the course, attendees will qualify for a $96.00 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 of the men and women of the railroad community across North America.
For more information, please contact Jason Wright, Special Representative and Director of the BLET Education and Training Department, at (216) 241-2630 ext. 247, or email wright@ble-t.org.