As much as unions use the arguments of equality, fairness, respect and other features of democracy and democratic processes when enticing prospective members, it is baffling that union supporters are so quick to accept such autocratic, undemocratic organizations as their exclusive representative for core elements of their life at work.
The UAW is scrambling after the corruption scandal that saw 12 union officials, including 2 past presidents, convicted of crimes. The culture of most large unions is a “single-party” rule system where the leadership of the union is tightly controlled. Even as the federal court is appointing a monitor to oversee the union’s finances, members are clamoring for democratically elected leadership. Whether the dismantling of the good-old-boy network of leadership transition will impact the culture of corruption is another question. The current UAW president is not in favor of direct elections.
In another example of autocratic control, International Association of Machinists (IAM) president, Robert Martinez, removed general vice president Sito Pantoja from his post and shuffled him out of the way into a backwater position because Pantoja had shown that he would not tow the line and endorse Martinez’s candidates for office. Pantoja had overseen the transportation division of the union, and at one airline, one of the mechanics unions is already seeking to replace the IAM with another union, most likely due to the turmoil at IAM.
Things are no different with the AFL-CIO. The International office is at odds with its Vermont affiliate. Two years ago, the Vermont activists were fed up with their council’s leadership and launched a reform campaign which saw fourteen of the reform slate candidates elected to the Vermont AFL-CIO executive board, including all the top officer jobs. International AFL-CIO president, Richard Trumka, was not pleased and has continued to hassle the Vermont reformers. He placed a “monitor” over its operations and ordered a partial re-run of the election. The relationship between the Vermont leadership and the International has remained contentious, and could very likely lead to a takeover of the state affiliate by the International.
Perhaps more brazen is the evidence of vote-buying in a recent SEIU Local 1000 election in California, leading to the long-time incumbent president losing her position.
