The UAW: An Iconic Union Falls into Scandal

This book analyzes the multi-faceted scandal that has tarnished the reputation of the United Auto Workers (UAW), an iconic union revered for its commitment to union democracy and ethical practices, showing what went wrong to lead the spread of corruption and how to remedy it.

Masters and Goeddeke provide a historical context of the rise and decline of the UAW, leading to "a culture of corruption" and resulting in the indictment or conviction of 15 union and corporate officials for the misuse of tens of millions of dollars. The book evaluates the various proposed reforms of the UAW's financial practices and ethical standards, including the possibility of a government takeover. It raises questions about the wisdom of such a takeover, based on the problems associated with the government takeover of the Teamsters. The authors recommend that the UAW convene a special constitutional convention to consider reforms in governance and hiring practices.

Providing a clear depiction of this scandal and the UAW’s systemic flaws, and suggesting potential remedies, this book will appeal to the tens of thousands of union officers and members keenly interested in the state of labor and an iconic union, their corporate counterparts in management, academics, students, and journalists in the fields of business and society, employee relations, law, labor relations, and management.

Frank Goeddeke, Jr. is a Senior Lecturer in the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. He is a retired automaker and has held elected and staff positions in the UAW and AFT. He holds a PhD in Management from the University of Florida, an MBA from Rollins College, and a MAS and BS from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He has taught for over 20 years at several higher education institutions. He has been published in several journals, including Journal of Organizational Behavior and Organizational Research Methods. Additionally, he is a former US Peace Corps Volunteer in Mongolia.

Marick F. Masters is a Professor of Management in the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA.