On social media, UAW members voiced their anger, distrust and disgust following bribery revelations that made national headlines.
Following Wednesday’s bombshell indictments involving a former high-ranking United Auto Workers official (now deceased), his wife, and executives at Fiat Chrysler, UAW President Dennis Williams issued a statement to the union’s members.
After posting the statement on the union’s Facebook page and asking members to share it, many members voiced their displeasure at the union’s leadership.
“Very disappointed in the UAW to ever allow anything of this magnitude to get this far without our leadership being aware!!!! UAW member since 1968, UAW shop committee 1987-98 & negotiated with Deere/UAW contracts 1991&93! Local 450 Des Moines, IA,” wrote one member.
“As we were going broke and Chrysler going out of business,” wrote another, “these pukes were laughing all the way to the bank. Al… hope you get what you deserve. Holyfield rot in hell!!!! Is this only the tip of the iceberg??”
One UAW member, who apparently works for Ford, implored the FBI to move its investigation to Ford after it is done investigating Chrysler.
1.2 million dollars to one vp for getting the contract passed by the rank and file? Please FBI, don’t stop, take this investigation all the way down to the locals. It’s insane that these elected members feel they are so far above the rank and file that they think they can do anything. Come to the locals, where the chairmens fund their new home construction with selling jobs at $10k a piece, after Chrysler, come to ford [sic].
While some commenters were more forgiving to the UAW, another implied in his comment that the now-deceased UAW Vice President who allegedly took the bribes also had gotten Fiat Chrysler to employ relatives through a family-owned janitorial company.
Caravan knights started working at Chrysler facilities around that time and is owned, Wholly or in part by Mr. Holifield’s relatives and cost hundreds of custodial Uaw jobs. I am again disappointed!
Another member, in mocking UAW President Williams’ statement raised a similar concern over the janitorial jobs:
“It is important for you to know that despite some public commentary to the contrary, the allegations in the indictment in no way call into question the collective bargaining contracts negotiated by our union during this period.”
Really? You don’t think this turn of events “calls into question the collective bargaining contracts.”?
Isn’t Caravan Knights owned by Holyfield’s relative?
Nothing to see here!I see the union lawyers still see us as gullible.
“Honestly I’m not shocked at all,” wrote another member. “As a uaw [sic] member for 20 years and watching the old ideas of solidarity getting replaced by tolerance and handing over of influence to non members this doesn’t suprise [sic] me….”
“This is nauseous,” wrote another. “These resources were in place for the benefit of the membership, dues or not. There’s no way the rank and file can ever be certain that their CBA wasn’t compromised because of this criminality. Disgusting.”
Another member called into question Williams’ statement that the moneys used to bribe the UAW official did not come from union dues.
Not union dues??? Our union dues pays your ridiculous salaries and benefits. These dues are paid to you to do your jobs, and that would include audits of all available, negotiated monies. Our dues did not pay for you to look the other way. Someone must have known what the General and Alphonso were doing, and you all looked the other way… for obvious reasons..
Another, stating that UAW officials have been “bought” in the past, the present and will be bought in the future, commented that he hoped the “feds” would keep digging further.
UAW officials have been bought in the past, they are being bought today and they will be bought in the future! Money is the evil of all means corruption is in many forms and our leaders can be persuaded any way the company wants to. Our Dues increasing every year due to this corruption should open some eyes. I hope the Feds dig deeper and many of those who think they are untouchable are shaking in their shoes!
There are numerous other comments by disgusted UAW members, which can be read here, as more are added.
