Letter to UAW members from UAW President Dennis Williams

Brothers and Sisters,

By now, you probably have seen the media reports about the recent DOJ investigation and indictment, which I wrote to you about last week (see the letter here).

This is certainly one of the toughest moments our union has faced in years. We are heartbroken and horrified to learn a man we knew, trusted and loved was involved in these alleged misdeeds.

As disappointed as we all are, 100% of our focus remains on doing what is right for our union and our members now. Here’s what you need to know:

• UAW leadership knew nothing of General Holiefield’s illegal activities until the U.S. Attorney’s Office contacted us in January of last year.
• We have cooperated with the U.S. Attorney’s office and launched our own internal investigation into these allegations, which was the responsible thing to do.
• We have pushed for, and implemented, needed reforms at the NTC in an effort to prevent future misconduct.

You should also know that no matter what anyone says, it was NOT possible for General Holiefield to compromise or otherwise affect the national negotiations that resulted in new collective bargaining agreements, including the 2011 collective bargaining agreement between the UAW and Chrysler.

As you know, whenever unions have challenging moments, there are some who try to attack us for their own political motivations. We will not be distracted by these attacks or let them intimidate us. We have experienced a bad actor, just like a number of corporations, governments and others have experienced bad actors. We are dealing with this matter and moving on as we continue fighting for our members and all those who would benefit from joining us.

From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for your continued support. In the face of these challenging times, be assured our union remains strong.

In solidarity,

Dennis Williams UAW President

https://uaw.org/app/uploads/2017/08/UAW-Letter-to-Membership-08-01-17.pdf