UAW ETHICS REFORMS

OVERALL REFORMS

UAW ETHICS OFFICER REPORTS

July 28, 2022 UAW Ethics Officer Convention Report. Download here >>>
March 16, 2022 Report of UAW Ethics Officer Relating to the UAW Monitor’s October 28, 2021 Referral. Download here >>>

ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ETHICS HOTLINE

The UAW is committed to maintaining an ethical, transparent, and accountable environment.

To serve this purpose, the UAW provides an Ethics Hotline for UAW members, employees, and others who have had professional interactions with the Union to confidentially report unethical conduct by International UAW officials, staff, or employees, whenever other available channels of communication are impractical or not preferable under the circumstances.

The Ethics Hotline is open 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, via a toll-free phone number or web-based reporting service. The UAW is using an experienced outside firm to run the Ethics Hotline. The UAW will make every effort to maintain the confidentiality of individuals who use the Ethics Hotline. Any retaliation for good faith reports is strictly prohibited by the UAW and will not be tolerated.

A list of Frequently Asked Questions about the Ethics Hotline can be found, here.

A quick reference guide of the Ethics Hotline can be found, here.

To access the Ethics Hotline via the web, visit website: https://report.syntrio.com/unitedauto   

To access the Ethics Hotline via the telephone, dial
phone number:  877-866-9682 

UAW ETHICS OFFICER

This position is currently open and the International Union conducting a search to fill it. The Ethics Officer is empowered to investigate allegations, complaints, or matters referred to her by the Ethics Hotline, UAW or otherwise, and to hold hearings at her discretion. If the Ethics Officer finds the allegations have merit or warrant further investigation the Ethics Officer will recommend a response or course of action.

The Ethics Officer also oversees the Member Ethics Advisory Committee. The Committee is responsible for:

Reviewing the Union’s existing internal rules and policies on ethical practices and financial matters – including the Ethical Practices Codes, Administrative Letters, and other guidance – and how those rules and policies are understood by the Union’s Officers and employees.
Drawing upon Committee members’ individual experience and expertise to develop any recommendations to the IEB for improving existing ethics guidelines, practices (both financial and ethical), policies, enforcement standards, and education of these standards.
Reviewing the operation and function of the Ethics Officer positions to determine whether adjustments might improve their effectiveness and/or promote transparency.
The Committee will provide a mechanism for two-way communication and dialogue between the Committee union members and the Ethics Officer to enhance understanding, acceptance, and operations of the Ethics Program. The Committee will have the ability to make recommendations about the operation of the Ethics Program to the Ethics Officer, who will give full consideration to those recommendations but will not be bound to accept them.

CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

The banning of all charitable contributions from UAW joint program centers, vendors, or employers to any charities run or controlled by UAW officials.

JOINT PROGRAMS

The enactment of accountability measures to the Joint Programs, including that purchases of promotional items using joint program funds have been permanently banned and all expenditures will be controlled, monitored, and regularly audited by independent public accounting firms.

ACCOUNTING POLICY

The implementation of stringent monetary controls that increase oversight by the UAW Accounting Department over the finances of our union.

ESTABLISHMENT OF ETHICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The UAW has committed to actively obtaining rank-and-file input into future ethics policy through the creation of an Ethics Advisory Committee. The committee includes UAW members and individuals from the UAW’s Public Review Board.

March 21, 2022, IEB Response to UAW Member Advisory Committee on Ethics Report

FINANCIAL REFORMS

INCREASED STAFFING

The UAW has hired four additional auditors, all with post-secondary coursework in accounting/finance/tax regulation to assist with increased auditing process.

NEW EXTERNAL AUDITING FIRM

The UAW has retained a new external accounting firm — with a nationwide practice and an expertise working with labor organizations — that conducted the financial audit work of the International Union for 2019, and is also conducting a one-year lookback into all financials. This firm will also be handling the UAW financial reporting going forward.

EXPANDED INTERNAL TRAINING

The Secretary-Treasurer’s office is implementing a comprehensive expansion of financial training for all UAW personnel responsible for any financial/accounting duties. Personnel will be trained on new accounting procedures, operational procedures, new regulations, labor laws, updated policies and procedures and new checks and balances, etc.

INCREASED CENTRALIZATION OF ACCOUNTING/FINANCIAL OPERATIONS

As part of this comprehensive overhaul, financial operations will be more centralized with oversight from the Secretary-Treasurer’s Office and subject to the stringent new policies and procedures implemented as a result of the overall independent audit.

STRICT BONDING CERTIFICATE ENFORCEMENT

The UAW is aggressively utilizing the Bonding Certificate system in place to clawback or recover 100% of any misappropriated funds prior to any restitution afforded by the courts.

UPDATES

Ethics Reforms, Featured, Member News, News

UPDATE ON 2022 IEB ELECTIONS

The UAW remains committed to the process laid out in the Consent Decree that our union entered into in 2020. Prior to the Consent Decree, our union had started implementing ethical and financial reforms, and the pace of change has not abated…