The Burke Group is one of the most active union-busting firms on LaborLab's Union-Busting Watchlist. The President of the Burke Group's Western Division is Chuck Ahern. According to filings reviewed by LaborLab, Ahern failed to submit required paperwork to Department of Labor while union busting for Amazon and Asphalt Operating Services of Chicago.
Under the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA), anti-union consultants must file a Form LM-20 report with the Department of Labor 30 days of being hired by an anti-union employer for the purposes of meeting directly with organizing employees. The reason this reporting standard exists is because workers and the public have the right to know when union-busters are hired to directly "persuade" workers.
Chuck Ahern began his anti-union work for Amazon on January 6, 2021, which means under the LMRDA, he should have submitted paperwork to the Department of Labor by early February, 2021. However, Ahern didn't file his required paperwork until February 16, 2022. A year late!
Ahern then began his anti-union work for Asphalt Operating Services of Chicago in July of 2021, but didn't file that paperwork until February, 2022.
Unfortunately, the LMRDA does not provide any civil penalties for late filings. The Office of Labor-Management Services does have the authority to bring a civil action to compel a filing. Additionally, the LMRDA provides criminal penalties for a willful failure to file if prosecuted.
The workers targeted by Ahern were organizing with RWDSU and IOUE.
This report was published on March 17, 2022
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