CLEVELAND, January 8 — On February 23, 2015, 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. The workshop will be held in St. Petersburg, Fla., from February 23-27, 2015.
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 class will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, February 23. All sessions will begin at 8:00 a.m. and conclude between 5 and 6 p.m. The workshop will end on Thursday, February 26, and checkout will be noon on Friday February 27. The BLET room rate extends two days prior and two days after the scheduled class for those that wish to come in early or stay late.
For those who may have attended last year’s class, please be advised that much has changed in the past year and there will be several new segments included in the 2015 LM-2 class. In addition, during this session, Secretary-Treasurers will review LM-2 reporting, membership reporting, filing requirements, bond requirements, computer applications, as well as changes for 2015. 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 training 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, to help them understand and avoid the pitfalls of the LM-2.
A special segment of the 2015 workshop will focus on the records that must be kept to comply with the new 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 online dues reporting program, a QuickBooks refresher, and information on the LM-2 digital signatures titled “The Seven Deadly Sins of Union Recordkeeping.”
Attendees will work with their actual information and will be working on their own LM-2 report for calendar year 2014.
Special guests will include: Dennis R. Pierce, National President; E. Lee Pruitt, First Vice President; Stephen J. Bruno, National Secretary Treasurer; and James P. Louis, National Vice President and Department Head of the BLET Education & Training Department. Presenters will include; Dr. Elaine Reese, BLET Director of Tax Compliance; Walt Schmidt, BLET Director of Online Services; Megan Mead, BLET Special Representative; and Jason Wright, BLET Special Representative and Coordinator for the Education & Training Department.
The workshop will be held at the Bilmar Hotel, 10650 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island, Fla., 33706. All attendees are responsible for making their own reservations and travel arrangements to the class. Reservations can be made by calling the Bilmar Hotel directly at (877) 834-0441. Be sure to mention that you are booking your reservations under the BLET special rate of $179 per night. Reservations must be made by January 23, 2015 to guarantee the BLET’s discounted room rate. We cannot guarantee the room rate of $179 after January 23, 2015, this is non-negotiable. The $179 rate does not include an optional resort fee, which attendees can turn down when making reservations. Attendees are responsible for their own transportation costs as well as their room and board.
Upon successful completion of the course, attendees will qualify for a $129 per day stipend from the North American Railway Foundation. 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 operating 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 varied non-political projects throughout the United States and Canada over the past 16 years. 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.
Register for the class at www.ble-t.org/gcast
If you have any questions regarding this workshop or any other training related concerns, please contact Jason Wright of the BLET Education & Training Dept. at (216) 296-4447 or [email protected]