Posts tagged corruption scandal
Clashes Cloud Shawn Fain’s Re-election Bid at U.A.W.
August 31, 2026 // At a February 2024 meeting, the board voted to curtail the responsibilities of Margaret Mock, the union’s secretary-treasurer, after Mr. Fain accused her of obstructing the union’s work. Ms. Mock said Mr. Fain was retaliating against her for refusing to authorize some expenses. In May 2024, Mr. Fain removed Rich Boyer, a vice president, from oversight of relations with Stellantis, saying Mr. Boyer had made unauthorized concessions in negotiations. Mr. Boyer said Mr. Fain was retaliating against him for declining to intervene in a workers’ compensation claim by the sister of Mr. Fain’s fiancée, or to approve a cash bonus that would have benefited his fiancée. Mr. Boyer and Ms. Mock had supported Mr. Fain’s first run to lead the union. This year, Mr. Boyer is among five candidates running to replace Mr. Fain, with Ms. Mock on his slate.
Three ex-UAW presidents criticize Fain, endorse challengers in election
August 11, 2026 // The endorsement is an unusual step for the three former UAW leaders who have mostly stayed on the sidelines in recent years under Fain, other than a sharply critical letter penned by Curry last year. It reveals ongoing internal rifts over how the influential union should be run. Curry, Gamble, Gettelfinger and other former officials who signed onto the letter were part of the old-guard Reuther Caucus that ran the union for decades but lost its control when Fain narrowly beat Curry in a run-off in early 2023. Curry led the union from 2021 to 2023. Gamble took over in 2019 in the immediate aftermath of the union's corruption scandal and the resignation of Gary Jones.
In another letter to court, member urges monitor investigate UAW local
April 13, 2026 // The latest letter, submitted by UAW retiree Rick Michael, a former parole officer represented at UAW Local 6000 in Lansing, requests that the monitor look beyond President Shawn Fain and his administration's conduct. Previously, Michael wrote in December to ask the monitor to investigate claims of discrimination taking place at Local 6000. He had previously been told it was outside of the monitor's purview.
Commentary: Jacobin’s New Columnist Chris Brooks Doesn’t Disclose Corruption Charges that Led to His Ouster from UAW
February 9, 2026 // However, nowhere in Brooks’ inaugural column titled “Four Lessons From the UAW’s Turn Toward Class Struggle” is his ouster from the UAW over his illegal conduct ever mentioned. This, even though it was covered by major publications including the Detroit Free Press, Reuters, and even Brook’s hometown paper, The Chattanooga Times Free Press. Instead, Jacobin gave a platform to a corrupt union official to repair his legacy without ever having to address the very serious allegations of corruption, dishonesty, and retaliation, or the violation of federal law that forced him out of union office.
UAW shuffles leadership after monitor details retaliation scheme
December 30, 2025 // A federal monitor found evidence of retaliation, falsified allegations and deleted text messages involving senior UAW officials. The UAW reinstated key department leaders, disciplined staff and changed compliance reporting lines. Oversight remains in place as the union prepares for upcoming leadership elections and continued reform efforts.
Commentary: Throwing out the garbage? Did you ask your local union first?
July 9, 2025 // The behavior of public-sector unions is enough to make you puke. This is true figuratively, when, as a matter of course, these groups bankrupt cities and states with unsustainable contract demands and tie the hands of elected officials to run the governments voters chose them to lead. But it was also true literally in Philadelphia, where an eight-day strike caused trash to pile up across the city.
UAW watchdog faults Fain, portrays him as angry foul-mouthed leader who targeted underling
June 18, 2025 // United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain illegitimately retaliated against the second most-powerful leader of the union in stripping her of power after threatening to "slit" the "throats" of anyone who "messed" with his inner circle, a government watchdog said late Tuesday. The watchdog, lawyer Neil Barofsky, leveled the allegation in a quarterly report delivered to U.S. District Judge David Lawson, who gained broad control of a deal to oversee the UAW in 2020 following a years-long public corruption scandal. The scandal sent two former union presidents, Gary Jones and Dennis Williams, to federal prison along with several others convicted of breaking labor laws, stealing union funds and receiving bribes, kickbacks and illegal benefits from contractors and auto executives.
UAW’s response to monitor at issue in federal court hearing
November 30, 2024 // At issue is the scope of the monitor’s ability to fully review information from the union under a consent decree issued after the long-running corruption scandal that sent former top union officials and auto executives to prison. Attorneys on Tuesday described about 570 redacted documents and text messages connected to UAW President Shawn Fain as being among the issues.
UAW shakeup leads to reassignments amid criticism of a new leader
February 29, 2024 // While Fain's letter suggested a calm transition of duties, a more explicit version of events was posted Wednesday in a statement on the website and Facebook page run by the activist group Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD), which began as a dissident group backing Fain and Mock during their elections to leadership a year ago. It describes itself as "a grassroots movement of UAW members in good standing, united in the common goal of building a more democratic and fighting union." The statement said 11 of the 14 members of the UAW International Executive Board (IEB) had voted to reassign departments overseen by Mock, including departments now headed by English and Dickerson.
UAW loses key local leader known for influence, strategy during negotiations
February 23, 2024 // By contrast, the national union's corruption scandal led to more then a dozen convictions, including two past national UAW presidents and Fiat Chrysler executives. "I was disgusted and disappointed by what some individuals did," said Ricke, who, as local union president, earned a salary of about $175,000, which is tied to the regional leader's wage.