UAW president faces run-off election as reformers make good points By Reuters

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – United Auto Staff (UAW) President Ray Curry will face a run-off election towards reform presidential candidate Shawn Fain, a court-appointed monitor mentioned on Monday, after not one of the 5 candidates captured a majority.

Fain, who as a reform candidate desires the UAW to take a extra confrontational strategy in auto contract talks and push to finish a two-tier compensation system that pays newer employees much less, narrowly trailed Curry within the election.

Six reform candidates had been elected to different officer positions within the elections. The run-off election, which may even decide a vice chairman and regional director race, may see reformers declare a majority of seats on the 14-member UAW govt board. Ballots are due by Feb. 28.

UAW officers beforehand had been elected via a delegate system. Members authorised direct elections in a 2021 referendum required as a part of a 2020 U.S. Justice Division settlement to resolve a corruption probe.

For greater than three many years, all UAW officers have come from an administrative slate of candidates.

Curry has been president of the UAW since June 2021, and a UAW member since 1992.

Fain has been a UAW member for greater than 20 years, serving as an officer at an area in Indiana representing employees at a Stellantis casting plant and a world consultant.

The UAW has about 375,000 U.S. members.

“That is our shot for true reform of the UAW and placing the facility and management of our union again within the palms of the membership by electing leaders who will probably be held accountable by the membership,” Fain mentioned.

Curry mentioned the brand new board will probably be sworn in on Dec. 12. “Our members have spoken,” Curry mentioned, saying he’s assured board members have “a imaginative and prescient of strengthening our nice union.”

Labor contracts with Basic Motors (NYSE:), Ford Motor (NYSE:) and Chrysler-parent Stellantis expire in late 2023, and this week employees will vote at a GM, LG Vitality Ultium three way partnership battery cell manufacturing plant in Ohio on whether or not to affix the UAW.

Quite a few UAW officers pleaded responsible to embezzling tens of millions of {dollars} for his or her private profit, utilizing the funds for liquor, cigars, golf outings and costly resort stays, together with two former presidents.

FCA US, the North American working subsidiary of Stellantis, pleaded responsible in 2021 to creating $3.5 million in unlawful funds to UAW officers and paid a $30 million tremendous.