Transparency in union finances a thing of the past

Ignoring their own rhetoric about the value of transparency and openness, the Obama administration is "rolling back rules requiring labor unions and their leaders to report information about their finances and compensation," according to this Washington Times report written by Jim McElhatton:

The Labor Department noted in a recent disclosure that "it would not be a good use of resources" to bring enforcement actions against union officials who do not comply with conflict of interest reporting rules passed in 2007. Instead, union officials will now be allowed to file older, less detailed conflict reports.

Critics worry that the rollback of union reporting requirements will keep hidden potentially corrupt financial arrangements aimed at rooting out corruption, but unions say the Bush administration reporting rules were burdensome. How burdensome is a few clicks on a computer keyboard to generate the reports?

Seems like the unions investment in President Obama and a Democratic Congress has begun to pay off for them - at the expense of rules and regulations meant to ensure honesty and transparency.

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