Supporters wave their cards during a speech at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 5, 2012, during the second day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC).
Mladin Antonov | AFP | Getty Images
Detroit – Members of the United Auto Workers ousted the president in the union’s first direct election, new era for a prominent organized labor group ahead of negotiations with the Detroit automaker later this year.
The union’s new leader is Sean Fain, a member of the “UAW Members United” reform group, Stellantis Parts plant in Indiana. He edged incumbent Ray Curry, who will be appointed president by union leaders in 2021, by hundreds of votes in the runoff.
In a statement on Saturday, Fain thanked UAW members who voted in the election. He also hailed the result as a historic shift in direction for the beleaguered union, saying it would take a “more proactive approach” to employers.
“This election was not just a competition between two candidates, but a referendum on the direction of the UAW. It has been dominated by leadership that has been dominated, and the result has been nothing but concessions, corruption and factory closures,” Fain said.
Curry, who previously protested the narrow election results, said in a statement that Fain was sworn in on Sunday and was “committed to ensuring this transition is smooth and undisturbed.”
“I would like to express my deep gratitude to all UAW staff, administrative support, leaders and most of all, our current and retired members for their support and solidarity over the years. “It has been the honor of my life to serve the union,” said Curry.
More than 141,500 votes were cast in the run-off ballot, which included two other directorships, a 33% increase from last year’s direct election, when neither presidential candidate received more than 50% of the vote.
The election was overseen by federal observers who confirmed the results on Saturday night. The results were delayed by several weeks due to the closeness of the run-off vote and the final tally.
UAW presidential candidate Sean Fain is in a runoff with incumbent Ray Curry for the union’s highest position.
Jim West of UAW Members United
Mr. Fain’s election is a significant departure from the UAW leadership in recent decades, as a majority of the union’s international executive committee is made up of incoming directors who are not part of the “administrative caucus” that has historically dominated the union. brought about the greatest upheaval in Over 70 years.
Fain and other members of his leadership ran on the promise of “no corruption, no concessions, no hierarchies.” The last is a reference to a tiered payment system implemented by automakers during recent negotiations that members sought to remove.
followed by a shuffle years of federal investigation It revealed systemic corruption among the UAW’s top ranks, including bribery, embezzlement, and other crimes.
As part of the investigation, 13 UAW officials were convicted, including two former presidents.as part of settlement with the union In late 2020, a federal observer was appointed to oversee the union, and the organization conducted direct elections in which each member voted, eliminating the weighted delegate process.
For investors, UAW negotiations with Detroit automakers are typically short-term headwinds every four years, resulting in higher costs. But this year’s negotiations are expected to be the most contentious and important in recent memory.
Fain said the union pursues profits for its members, advocating the return of the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), as well as wage increases and job security.
The UAW’s changes come against the backdrop of a broader organized labor movement across the country, a pro-union president, and an industry in transition to all-electric vehicles.
