Opinion ID: 2999874
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Structure of the LMRDA and the Department’s

Text: Investigatory Power The LMRDA was enacted to “protect the rights of rankand-file members to participate fully in the operation of their union through processes of democratic self-government, and, through the election process, to keep the union 1 The subpoena sought the Union’s records relating to visits by a trustee/business agent of Local 743 to one of its worksites during the time preceding the October election, dues payment history information used to determine Union member eligibility to vote in the October election, and current contact information for 348 members of the Union. 4 No. 05-2478 leadership responsive to the membership.” Wirtz v. Hotel, Motel & Club Employees Union, Local 6, 391 U.S. 492, 497 (1968). To this end, the LMRDA contains several subdivisions dealing with numerous facets of both internal union affairs and labor-management relations. Wirtz v. Local 153, Glass Bottle Blowers Assoc., AFL-CIO, 389 U.S. 463, 469 (1968). Three sections of the LMRDA are particu- larly relevant to the issue on appeal.
Title I of the LMRDA, also referred to as subchapter II of the Act, is entitled “Bill of Rights of Members of Labor Organizations,” and is found at 29 U.S.C. §§ 411-415. It provides in pertinent part that every member of a labor organization shall have the right “to nominate candidates, to vote in elections or referendums of the labor organization, to attend membership meetings, and to participate in the deliberations and voting upon the business of such meetings, subject to reasonable rules” contained in the organization’s constitution and bylaws. 29 U.S.C. § 411(a)(1). Union members also have the right under Title I to meet and assemble freely with other members, support candidates of their choice, and express their opinions concerning candidates for union office. 29 U.S.C. § 411(a)(2). Title I also prohibits a union from disciplining a member (except for nonpayment of dues) without service of written charges and the provision of a full and fair hearing after reasonable notice. 29 U.S.C. § 411(a)(5). With respect to enforcement of these rights, Title I provides in part as follows: “Any person whose rights secured by the provisions of this subchapter have been infringed by any violation of this subchapter may bring a civil action in a district court of the United States for such relief (including injunctions) as may be appropriate.” 29 U.S.C. § 412. No. 05-2478 5
Title IV (also known as subchapter V) of the LMRDA, 29 U.S.C. §§ 481-483, is entitled “Elections.” Title IV’s function in furthering the overall goals of the LMRDA is “to insure ‘free and democratic elections’ ” for union officers. Glass Bottle Blowers Assoc., 389 U.S. at 469. Among the requirements of Title IV are that every local labor organization must hold an election of officers at least once every three years; that the union must permit the distribution of campaign literature without discrimination for or against any candidate; that every bona fide candidate shall have the right to inspect a union’s mailing list of members; that “adequate safeguards to ensure a fair election” be provided, including the right of any candidate to have an observer at the polls and at the counting of ballots; that every member in good standing shall have the right to vote, to hold office, and to support the candidate of his or her choice without fear of discipline or reprisal; and that the union and the employer are generally prohibited from spending money to promote the candidacy of any particular person. 29 U.S.C. § 481(c), (e), (g). Title IV contains a civil enforcement provision that outlines the following procedures as relevant to the issue here: (1) any member of a union who believes that Title IV has been violated, and who has first exhausted the remedies available to him or her under the labor organization’s constitution or bylaws may file a complaint with the Secretary; (2) the “challenged election” shall be presumed valid pending investigation by the Secretary; (3) the Secretary shall investigate the complaint, and “if he finds probable cause to believe that a violation of this subchapter has occurred and has not been remedied, he shall . . . bring a civil action against the labor organization . . . to set aside the invalid election . . .”; and (4) if a court finds that a violation of § 481 “may have affected the outcome of an election,” the court “shall declare the election, if any, to be 6 No. 05-2478 void and direct the conduct of a new election . . . .” 29 U.S.C. § 482. Finally, Title IV also contains a provision, relied upon by the Union in this case, stating that “[t]he remedy provided by this subchapter for challenging an election already conducted shall be exclusive.” 29 U.S.C. § 483.
29 U.S.C. § 521 The subpoena power of the Secretary of Labor derives from 29 U.S.C. § 521(a) (also commonly referred to as § 601 of the LMRDA), which provides in relevant part as follows: The Secretary shall have power when he believes it necessary in order to determine whether any person has violated or is about to violate any provision of this chapter (except subchapter II of this chapter) to make an investigation and in connection therewith he may enter such places and inspect such records and accounts and question such persons as he may deem necessary to enable him to determine the facts relative thereto. (Emphasis added.) In general, an administrative agency’s subpoena meets the requirements for enforcement if (1) the inquiry is within the authority of the agency, (2) the demand is not too indefinite, and (3) the information sought is reasonably relevant to the investigation. United States v. Morton Salt Co., 338 U.S. 632, 653 (1950); EEOC v. Quad/ Graphics, Inc., 63 F.3d 642, 645 (7th Cir. 1995). An administrative agency’s subpoena power is intended to permit the agency to “investigate merely on suspicion that the law is being violated, or even just because it wants assurance that it is not.” Morton Salt Co., 338 U.S. at 642-43. In the statute quoted above, the only relevant limitation on the otherwise broad powers conferred by § 521 is that the power to investigate possible violations of the LMRDA does not No. 05-2478 7 extend to violations of “subchapter II,” i.e., Title I, of the Act.