Governance
Antitrust compliance policy
OMBA is an association of competitors, and that is only lawful because these lines are never crossed. Every member acknowledges this policy as a condition of membership; every meeting runs under it.
The bright lines
- No discussion of prices, rates, wages, fees, or discounts among members — ever, in any OMBA space.
- No dividing customers, venues, dates, or territory.
- OMBA never asks a venue to hire only members or only certified operators.
- Membership decisions are made only against the published criteria, documented, and appealable.
- Certification is available to non-members on equivalent terms.
In practice
- If pricing, wages, or a specific customer comes up in any OMBA space, the chair stops the conversation on the record, and it goes in the minutes. Anyone who persists is asked to leave the meeting.
- Directors recuse from any decision where they have a financial interest — including every certification decision involving a competitor of their own business.
- Membership and certification decisions are documented against the published criteria. A denial always carries the written reason and the appeal path.
- Counsel reviews the bylaws, criteria, and standard before publication, and standard-setting meetings are minuted.