Autoworkers vote on top union spots

DETROIT — Candidates pushing for change won several races as members of the United Auto Workers union voted on their leaders in an election that stemmed from a federal bribery and embezzlement investigation involving former union officials.

In unofficial results posted early Sunday on a federal court-appointed monitor’s website, challengers took six of 14 seats on the union’s International Executive Board. They could win as many as eight, including the presidency, and control a majority, depending on the outcome of three runoff elections.

The candidates for change, most part of a slate called UAW Members United, campaigned on wanting to rescind concessions made to Detroit’s three automakers in previous contract talks, restoring costof-living pay raises and eliminating a two-tier wage and benefit system.

Even without the election, costs likely would have gone up as General Motors, Ford and Stellantis workers seek a bigger share of billions of dollars in profits.

In the race for president, incumbent Ray Curry defeated challenger Shawn Fain by 614 votes. Curry had 38.2% of the vote to Fain’s 37.6%. But since neither got a majority in the five-candidate field, there will be a runoff election in January.

Mike Booth and Rich Boyer, both from Members United, took two of three vice president slots. Two vice president candidates from Curry’s Solidarity Team slate, incumbent Chuck Browning and Tim Bressler, will compete in a runoff for the third vice president slot.

Members United candidate Margaret Mock ousted current Secretary-Treasurer Frank Stuglin. Candidates seeking change took three regional director slots, with another headed for a runoff.

Winners will be sworn in Dec. 12. Ballots for the runoff elections will be mailed Jan. 12 with a Feb. 28 deadline to return them. Votes will be counted starting March 1, according to the website of Monitor Neil Barofsky.