By Kalea Hall
DETROIT, Oct 7 (Reuters) – Ballot counting is underway in the United Auto Workers leadership election, with incumbent president Shawn Fain vying for another four-year term.
Fain, who became one of the labor movement’s most recognizable figures after leading strikes against Ford Motor, General Motors and Stellantis in 2023, faces multiple opponents. Union members are also electing three vice presidents, a secretary-treasurer and regional directors.
A federal monitor appointed in 2021 to oversee union activities following a corruption scandal is tallying the votes.
• The federal monitor’s office began counting union votes on Tuesday.
• Fain is seeking a second four-year term as leader of the 400,000-member union.
• Fain’s challengers include Rich Boyer, a union vice president who has clashed with Fain.
• The federal monitor, New York attorney Neil Barofsky, has accused Fain of retaliating against other UAW leaders and of a lack of transparency.
• Fain is the first president selected by union members, after the union membership voted in 2021 in favor of a direct-election method instead of a delegate system.
• A run-off election will be held for races where no candidate has received a majority of the vote.
• The election will likely be closely watched by executives at GM, Ford and Stellantis, which agreed to record contracts following the Fain-led strikes.
(Reporting by Kalea Hall; editing by Mike Colias and Sanjeev Miglani)
