Corruption
In 2017, the Department of Justice launched an investigation into corruption at the UAW.
The UAW was found to be using members’ dues to fund lavish parties and gifts for its leadership. In the end, two UAW presidents and several other top UAW officials were found guilty on corruption charges.
This investigation resulted in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan appointing an official corruption monitor to investigate the UAW and ensure that the union is working to remove corruption from its ranks.
This year, the UAW’s monitor raised the alarm on potential corruption concerns at the UAW. Union President Shawn Fain recently removed two top officials from the UAW’s executive council. Both officials accused the UAW President’s Office of financial misconduct and alleged that their dismissals were retaliation for not engaging in this misconduct.
The monitor started to investigate these claims and quickly reported that UAW leadership was stone-walling him by “slow-rolling” access to necessary documents for his investigation. One of the UAW’s main legal advisors is a convicted felon, who was found guilty for covering up evidence of corruption in the Teamsters union back in the 1990s.
A recent audit of the UAW’s internal culture found that almost half of the UAW’s staff members would refuse to report witnessed corruption over fear of retaliation from other UAW officials or staffers.