Union watchdog agency has budget cut

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Washington Times

By Sean Lengell

The Bush administration says the Democrat-controlled Congress is trying to shortchange the lone federal agency responsible for ensuring unions spend their dues legally — an effort Republicans consider political payback that must be rebuffed.

At least two Republican senators are expected to propose legislation to restore nearly 4 percent of funding the House cut from the Office of Labor-Management Standards, Capitol Hill aides said.

"Union members are entitled to know where their money is going," Labor Department Secretary Elaine L. Chao said. "Less than one-tenth of 1 percent of the department's budget goes to OLMS — the one federal entity charged with protecting union members from corruption — and it is the one singled out for budget cuts."

The House last week approved $45.7 million for OLMS for fiscal year 2008 — $2 million less than in 2007, and about $11 million short of the Bush administration's budget request. It was the only major Labor agency to get less money than in 2007.

FULL 2 page story at link.



Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20070730/NATION/107300039/1002

[blockhead]

1. fuck them,

union-busting administration trying to make it sound like they're helping us. Where the hell is the federal agency looking into corporate corruption.

[Cant trust em]

2. I'll support this idea someday...

when we make it mandatory that corporations disclose who they support politically.

[Kolesar]

3. A 20% cut. Should have cut it back to one part time staffer.