Recent UAW President Praised For Leading Union Out of Corruption Scandal As 16th Person Is Charged

The Detroit News named recently retired United Auto Workers President Rory Gamble one of its Michiganians of the Year on Oct. 28, 2021, for “[leading] the UAW out of a corruption scandal.” Gamble became president of Michigan’s largest union in November 2019. This was after the two previous presidents of the UAW were convicted of stealing from members to purchase luxury items, in a corruption scandal that engulfed them and other leaders.

In an interview with The Detroit News, Gamble says ethics reforms were his “goal from day one.” His reforms included “appointing the union’s first-ever external ethics officer, creating a confidential ethics hotline for union members to report ethical or financial violations, and instituting new financial and accounting reviews and controls to protect members’ dues.”

On Nov. 10, 2021, a headline in The Detroit News reported that the “UAW corruption scandal deepens as feds charge 16th person after $2 million misspent.” Federal prosecutors have accused UAW Local 412 Financial Secretary/Treasurer Tim Edmunds of “a prolonged embezzlement scheme involved union money that bankrolled high-end shopping sprees at Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga and Apple and more union funds spent on child support payments and Greektown Casino gambling binges.” The alleged crimes took place through 2020.

Michigan is a right-to-work state. UAW members are free to choose to belong, or resign, from the United Auto Workers.

Editor's note: The story as published said “17th” person. We regret the error.