Troubles could be mounting for United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain.
Fain was the first UAW president directly elected by all members, rather than representatives chosen by local unions. He led a set of strikes against GM, Ford, and Stellantis in 2023 that was widely acknowledged as successful in securing better contracts.
But six union locals, including some in Michigan, have now asked for an internal trial of alleged financial and other misconduct by Fain. Such a trial has the potential to result in a reprimand against him, or even his removal from office.
The request would likely have to be approved by court-appointed monitor Neil Barofsky, who has been conducting an ongoing investigation of Fain. Barofsky has not yet commented on what is essentially a vote of no confidence from the six (out of hundreds) of union locals. Four of the six locals are in Michigan.
Barofsky will be reporting to a federal district court about the UAW leadership's activities for at least the next few years, a result of charges and convictions against multiple union officials in recent years, including the 2021 convictions of two former UAW presidents for embezzlement.
The monitor's latest report says Fain retaliated against the union's treasurer when she refused to approve inappropriate expenditures. The monitor is also investigating other allegations of improper actions by Fain.
