FAQ: Recalling Union Officials

Question: “[We] Would like to recall our union officials How do we go about it. What is the procedure?”

Answer:  Most federal union constitutions do not provide, with specificity, for the recall of union officials.  Instead, as evidenced in the AFGE National Constitution at Article XXIII, procedures are usually provided for Offenses, Trials, Penalties, and Appeals.  Through this prescribed process, union members can “prefer charges” against specific officials for specific reasons.  Therefore, it is recommended you consult your local union constitution and by-laws as a starting point. Union’s are required to provide you with this information upon request. If, for some reason, your union does not provide this information to you, you can obtain it from the Department of Labor since union’s (all levels) are required to provide validated and most recent copies to the Office of Labor Management Standards (OLMS) under the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA).  The Department of Labor makes this information available to the public through it’s website (click here to go to that specific section of the website).  Union members should also review the Union Member Rights and Officer Responsibilities Under the LMRDA information provided by the Department of Labor.

If a union member is alleging a specific breach by the union it its Duty of Fair Representation (DFR) under the Federal Services Labor Management Relations Statute (FSLMRS), he or she should consider filing an Unfair Labor Practice Complaint against the union citing the DFR.  Of course, the most recognized and common method of “recalling” union officials is to vote them out of office.

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