UAW Shenanigans
The UAW is the first to scream bloody murder if a company shows favoritism, and it is their job to do so, but to quote the old proverb, "Who watches the watchmen?"
According to an article in todays Detroit Free Press three UAW officials prolonged a 1997 strike at a plant in Pontiac Michigan, not to benefit the other workers but to force GM to place friends and kinsmen of the union officials into coveted, high-paying jobs. Two of them are facing trial while the third one has died. Equally important is that members of the UAW tried to sue these men and the UAW for half a billion dollars, but the case was thrown out on a technicality (the plaintiffs waited to long to sue - I am doubtful if that ruling is correct as I would not put it past some judges to (ahem) strongly favor the UAW.) It was also the workers who alerted the feds about the corruption in what is supposed to be their union.
These are the people that are supposed to be preventing this nonsense, but I guess it's alright when the union does it.
According to an article in todays Detroit Free Press three UAW officials prolonged a 1997 strike at a plant in Pontiac Michigan, not to benefit the other workers but to force GM to place friends and kinsmen of the union officials into coveted, high-paying jobs. Two of them are facing trial while the third one has died. Equally important is that members of the UAW tried to sue these men and the UAW for half a billion dollars, but the case was thrown out on a technicality (the plaintiffs waited to long to sue - I am doubtful if that ruling is correct as I would not put it past some judges to (ahem) strongly favor the UAW.) It was also the workers who alerted the feds about the corruption in what is supposed to be their union.
These are the people that are supposed to be preventing this nonsense, but I guess it's alright when the union does it.
posted by shoprat at 3:21 PM
7 Comments:
Corruption in my union?
Perish the thought.
*sigh*
It's nothing new. Once certain individuals gain power they forget what they're supposed to be doing and get corrupt. Very fast!
A corrupt judge? Surely you jest!
I saw the head of Lansing Assembly's daughter get knocked up. Her bo was on the line in a month. This was at a time when nobody was getting in.
A lot of organizations big or small seem to get this disease ... a taste of power over people, and their gone ... sigh ...
By the way Rat; Thanks for the link. I was a little slow to get some work done but yours is now added.
It's interesting how many union officials, in all the trades, have been convicted of ripping off the folks they are supposed to represent.
I remember about 25 years ago when the Operating Engineers that my old man belonged to found that the nickel an hour extra they were paying in dues didn't seem to be increasing the coffers much. It was found the treasurer and president were skimming them.
The money was never recovered, the two were given slaps on the wrist, and the workers got to pay another nickel an hour for 3 years to make up a shortfall.
And then union managment got all irate when the workers voted 80-20 to hire an outside auditor every year to watch their money.
thanks all for the comments. As a less than thrilled "member" of the UAW I sometimes feel that only term that could describe union corruption is inexaggerable (I don't think such a word exists -- I needed a word to match the definition so I just came up with it, means "to such a degree as to render exaggeration impossible.")
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