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\t<\/p>\nUAW president Shawn Fain | AP <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
DETROIT\u2014While United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain continues to be under federal <\/span>investigation<\/span><\/a>, new allegations from the union claim that the court-appointed federal monitor has engaged in a years-long campaign of political retaliation against Fain, after the UAW called for a ceasefire in Gaza.<\/span><\/p>\n The Department of Justice opened a grand jury investigation into Fain following a report from federal monitor Neil Barofsky. He accused Fain of retaliating against top officers, Margaret Mock and Richard Boyer, and improperly seeking benefits for family members. For his part, Fain vehemently denied the allegations and called them \u201cbogus\u201d and politically motivated.<\/span><\/p>\n Fain has rejected the findings entirely. On Facebook Live, he said: \u201cI never sought special favors for anybody in my family.\u201d He accused Boyer of hypocrisy, noting the vice president had tried to get his own daughter and grandson hired by the union, which were requests Fain blocked.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m done being silent,\u201d Fain said. \u201cNeil Barofsky has a political grudge against me because the UAW took an anti-war stance about what was happening in Gaza.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n As previously <\/span>reported<\/span><\/a> by <\/span>People\u2019s World, <\/span><\/i>the conflict traces back to November 2023, when the UAW\u2019s International Executive Board passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. At that time, it was the largest national union to do so. Fain publicly praised the union\u2019s position, saying: \u201cFrom opposing fascism in WWII to mobilizing against apartheid South Africa and the CONTRA war, the UAW has consistently stood for justice across the globe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Just weeks later, on December 12, 2023, Barofsky called Fain to express concerns about the union\u2019s position. An audio <\/span>recording<\/span><\/a> of the call, obtained by <\/span>Drop Site News<\/span><\/i> and authenticated, reveals Barofsky pressing Fain over the statement.<\/span><\/p>\n Barofsky, who is Jewish, then warned Fain that referencing the UAW\u2019s prior stances against fascism and apartheid could \u201cpotentially cross the line into the area of antisemitism.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn the statement, when you made comparisons to the UAW\u2019s prior statements against fascism in World War II, against apartheid in South Africa and the CONTRAs, it unintentionally\u2014I believe, unintentionally\u2014drew a parallel between the actions of Israel after it was attacked by Hamas,\u201d Barofsky said on the recording.<\/span><\/p>\n Fain forcefully rejected the characterization. \u201cMy problem with this is they\u2019re killing tens of thousands of innocent fucking civilians in this process, and it\u2019s complete bullshit,\u201d Fain told Barofsky.<\/span><\/p>\n The <\/span>recording<\/span><\/a> released by <\/span>Drop Site News <\/span><\/i>undercuts previous claims by Barofsky about his interactions with Fain. During a subsequent board meeting, Barofsky had falsely claimed he never said the UAW statement crossed a line into \u201cantisemitism.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n At that same meeting, Barofsky claimed he had never used the word \u201cantisemitic\u201d or implied that Fain was antisemitic. The recording, however, shows Barofsky telling Fain his statement \u201cpotentially crossed the line into the area of antisemitism.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Tlaib calls for monitor\u2019s resignation<\/b><\/p>\n Michigan Representative Rashida Tlaib called on Barofsky to resign.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNeil Barofsky\u2019s personal support for genocide is irreparably interfering with his duties, and he should resign from his position immediately,\u201d Tlaib said.<\/span><\/p>\n The investigation comes as Fain campaigns for reelection for UAW president. Ballots are set to be sent out to the membership in August.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Fain called Barofsky\u2019s report election interference in a <\/span>statement<\/span><\/a>: \u201cNow, more than two years after becoming aware of Vice President Boyer\u2019s allegations, and on the eve of our election, Mr. Barofsky has chosen to publicly release a politically charged and false report about me,\u201d he wrote.<\/span><\/p>\n The UAW has been under federal oversight since a 2020 corruption probe that sent numerous union officials and auto executives to prison. Barofsky was appointed in 2021 for at least a six-year term.<\/span><\/p>\n Fain argued that the conflict between his union reform movement and the monitor ultimately benefits the bosses. \u201cThe choice here is between a union that fights or a union that fails,\u201d he said on Facebook Live.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf Rich Boyer is your next president, I can assure you one thing. The company will be in heaven.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n We hope you appreciated this article. At\u00a0People\u2019s World, we believe news and information should be free and accessible to all, but we need your help. Our journalism is free of corporate influence and paywalls because we are totally reader-supported. Only you, our readers and supporters, make this possible. If you enjoy reading\u00a0People\u2019s World\u00a0and the stories we bring you, please\u00a0support our work by donating or becoming a monthly sustainer today<\/a>. Thank you!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n
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