United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain is under investigation by an independent federal monitor for alleged retaliation against other union officials, according to a court filing Monday.
Inspector General Neal Barofsky opened an investigation in February to reexamine allegations, including that the UAW’s secretary-treasurer said he was retaliated against for refusing or hesitating to approve certain expenditures to Fain’s office, according to the filing.
Barofsky also launched an investigation into the actions of the Treasury Secretary.
The UAW declined to comment.
Barofsky was appointed federal auditor in 2021 as the UAW grappled with a corruption scandal and several former executives were convicted in federal court.
As part of the investigation, two former UAW presidents were sentenced to prison.
The monitor expanded the investigation to include allegations made by Mr. Fain against the union’s leadership of Stellantis, who took over the job at the end of May.
Fain argued that the Stellantis division chief’s responsibilities were reassigned due to “dereliction of duty” related to collective bargaining issues.
According to court documents, the watchdog then received complaints that Fain’s decision was an act of retaliation because Stellantis’ top brass had refused to engage in financial misconduct for the benefit of others.
The monitor said the union had not turned over requested documents fast enough. UAW officials have turned over about 2,600 of roughly 116,000 potentially relevant documents, according to the filing.
The Justice Department also told the monitor that “the union’s positions make it difficult, if not impossible, for the monitor to carry out its mission of rooting out fraud, corruption and illegal activity within the UAW,” the filing said.
Fain took the job last year after narrowly winning the union’s first direct election. Last fall, he led the union in a six-week strike against Detroit automakers and spearheaded a national organizing drive across the South and West.
The movement suffered a blow last month when the union lost a vote at a Mercedes plant in Alabama, just weeks after winning a historic victory at a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee.
Fain has emerged as a key figure for President Biden as he seeks to win the support of autoworkers and Michigan voters in this year’s election.
Biden stood on a picket line with Fain in Michigan in September to support striking autoworkers, and Fain also attended the 2024 State of the Union address after the UAW endorsed Biden in January.
