During an organizing campaign, the company may attempt to paint a picture of unions as corrupt organizations.

There are some 60,000 local unions in the AFL-CIO and 215 locals in the GCC/IBT. We aren't perfect. Misdeeds, even corrupt practices, can occur. But on the whole, the GCC/IBT's and all unions' record for honesty, diligent service, and strict accounting of members' dues money is a model of integrity.

One of the best proofs of this is the fine record we have with bonding companies that insure people who handle money for organizations such as banks, government institutions, and businesses. Union officials rate better than almost any other group.

It is important to know that federal law requires strict record keeping by union officials. Our union constitution requires all officials to be bonded against loss of dues money and imposes strict penalties if any officer violates his or her responsibility to the members.

The vast majority of union officials are honest, hard-working individuals, dedicated to upholding the law and helping their members. Elections for union office are held regularly, and in 99.9 percent of the elections, there is no evidence of improper conduct.

Union officers also have a keen sense of protecting members' dues. In fact, the Surety Association of America studies the insurance rates of institutions that insured against illegal or negligent conduct by their officers. The study found that union officials were a significantly lower risk than government, business, or financial officials. Less than 1 percent of unrecoverable losses by bonding companies ($0.8 million out of $113 million) were union losses. Bank losses, by contrast, were $45 million; business losses, $42 million; stockbrokers, $8.7 million. Even government officials lost more –$1.4 million.

So the next time anyone claims that unions are corrupt, you can tell that person to compare the union record to either business or government. The union record is a good one.