Michigan auto union officials convicted in extortion scheme

The federal investigation further showed that union officials used the strike to obtain thousands of dollars in unearned overtime pay for themselves and their cronies.

The facts of the case present a picture of a thoroughly corrupt organization that is deeply hostile to the interests of the working class.

Donny Douglas, former Local 594 president, now a UAW international service representative, and Jay Campbell, former shop committee chairman, presently retired, were convicted of extortion and conspiracy for prolonging the 1997 strike by 5,000 UAW members at the General Motors truck manufacturing complex in Pontiac. A third UAW official, William Coffey, a former zone committeeman for skilled trades, was also named in the original indictment, but died in 2003.

All outstanding issues were reportedly resolved within the first 30 days of the walkout. However, the three union officials demanded that Campbell’s son, Gordon Campbell, and Todd Fante, the son of another UAW official, be hired for skilled trades jobs for which they were not qualified. The strike continued until GM agreed to their hiring. GM also agreed to substantial payments for overtime claimed by UAW local officials.

Allegations that the overtime payments amounted to bribes and kickbacks to Local 594 officials were also investigated by federal authorities, but the matter was not included in the final indictment. No General Motors officers were prosecuted as a result of the investigation, although the agreement to hire Fante and Campbell was to all appearances a violation of US labor law.

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http://wsws.org/articles/2006/jul2006/uaw-j12.shtml