Detroit Free Press: Marick Masters on UAW leadership
The UAW has no plans to change course in contract negotiations underway with Detroit automakers despite an FBI and IRS raid Wednesday at the home of UAW President Gary Jones. But factory workers said they worry about how talks will be impacted by the ongoing corruption probe that involved federal law enforcement raids in Michigan, California, Missouri and Wisconsin on Wednesday, targeting key union officials. Some workers expressed worry that Jones' authority has been undermined. "I think it puts a very serious cloud over the UAW as they start negotiations," said Marick Masters, a business professor at Wayne State University. "For the workers, they're going to have increasing distrust and doubt about the leadership. And I think for the leadership, they have to ask themselves whether or not it would be best for them to consider stepping down so they have somebody who is totally unimplicated in any of this wrongdoing involved in the negotiations." He added, "I'm saying they ought to have a meeting of their executive board to discuss the issue at this particular time, and how they want to proceed."
