Dennis Williams, the former president of the United Auto Workers (UAW) has just been charged with embezzlement of union funds, for which if found guilty could be facing a five year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine. He is the 15th person charged in connection with this case by Matthew J. Schneider, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. Dennis Williams, who headed the organization from 2014 to 2018 is accused, along with his successor at the head of the UAW, Gary Jones, of embezzling $1.5 million (c.f. article No. 11500). Auto industry observers have raised questions over whether the federal government should not appoint an independent monitor to clean-up the union, as it did with the Teamsters union. However for the time being, the federal prosecutor emphasised that he preferred to let the new president, Rory Gamble, implement the necessary reforms.
The funds in question, which were meant to finance conferences and training for union officials, was in fact spent on renting villas in Palm Springs, golf outings, expensive wine, meals, jewellery and cigars. The former president is also suspected of having been paid by Fiat Chrysler to position a ‘friendly’ unionist on the board of directors of its competitor, General Motors. These serious charges are raising suspicions of corruption across the entire UAW, including its 400,000 members and 58
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