UAW Tainted By ‘Toxic Culture Of Division And Retaliation’, Says Monitor

The latest federal filing from a court-appointed monitor paints a troubling picture of division and retaliation at the UAW (United Auto Workers), one of the nation’s most powerful labor ions. The UAW represents roughly 150,000 workers across the Detroit Big Three automakers (GM, Ford, and Stellantis).

According to a recent report from Detroit Free Press, union monitor Neil Barofsky submitted a 67-page status report on November 14^th warning that the union needs to address several critical issues and achieve meaningful cultural reform if it hopes to end its monitorship by 2027. Baroksky was appointed to monitor the UAW after the union was rocked by a major corruption scandal that resulted in prison sentences for several former UAW presidents.

Despite some incremental progress, Baroksky asserts that leadership infighting, retaliation, and political maneuvering continue to thwart overall development. Barofsky’s report identifies what he describes as a “toxic culture of division and retaliation,” citing actions involving UAW President Shawn Fain and individuals within his circle.

One of the most serious findings involves Marni Schroeder, the former head of the union’s compliance department, who resigned after the monitor uncovered evidence showing she had been “co-opted” by the president’s office. According to Barofsky, Schroeder participated in efforts to strip departments from Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock’s oversight, an action he characterizes as “vindictive.”

Internal survey data reinforce these concerns, with more than half of respondents indicating they would not report misconduct due to fear of retaliation.

The report also outlines areas where the union has made progress, including completed audits, new hiring policies, filled staffing vacancies, and more frequent all-hands meetings. Barofsky also acknowledged recent signs of cooperation between the president’s office and Mock’s office, yet maintained that the union’s internal culture remains unstable.

“No organization can credibly claim that it is fostering a culture of non-retaliation while at the same time leaving in place retaliatory sanctions against a senior officer who was punished for her enforcement of the Union’s anti-corruption policies,” the monitor writes.