cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/6931655

cross-posted from: https://news.abolish.capital/post/11388

The All-Workers’ Militant Front organized a solidarity visit to trade unions in the West Bank, witnessing firsthand the violence faced by Palestinian workers under occupation.

The post Greek unions reaffirm solidarity with Palestine after West Bank visit appeared first on Peoples Dispatch.

Around the time the so-called ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was announced, the Greek All-Workers’ Militant Front (PAME) organized a solidarity visit to trade unions in Palestine. During their trip, PAME’s delegation met with labor organizations in the West Bank and traveled to refugee camps and communities that face regular attacks by Israeli settlers.

The delegation, which included PAME Secretariat member Giorgos Perros and Markos Bekris from the dockworkers’ organization ENEDEP, witnessed firsthand the daily reality of workers in the West Bank. “Every day, at the checkpoints of the army of the murderous state of Israel, thousands of Palestinians are subjected to humiliating inspections, waiting for hours in the heat or cold just to reach their workplace,” PAME described. “Every day they risk their lives under the barrel of a gun, struggling to earn a day’s wage to feed their families.”

Since the beginning of the genocide, PAME added, unemployment in the West Bank has reached roughly 70%. As Israel continues to deny work permits to Palestinian workers, many have been left with no option but to attempt risky crossings in search of occasional work. Several workers have been killed, and many more injured, trying to bypass the apartheid wall erected by Israeli authorities, including during the delegation’s visit, as documented by the media organization 902.gr.

The trade unionists also collected testimonies from agricultural workers and farmers whose land continues to be confiscated by Israeli authorities or seized by settlers, as well as from people from refugee camps, violently expelled from their homes and forced into schools or other makeshift shelters. This pattern of violence only escalated throughout the genocide and has continued despite the ceasefire announcement.

“The unrelenting, murderous attacks, even after the so-called ‘truce’ of October 10, 2025, with a gun held to the head of the Palestinian people, show that the crime has never stopped,” PAME wrote in a declaration published on November 29, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. “The working class and the people of Greece stand on the right side of history, against the slaughterhouses and wars of the imperialists, asserting the inalienable right of all peoples to live in peace in their own homeland.”

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cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/6815507

cross-posted from: https://news.abolish.capital/post/9194

On Wednesday, Kings County Hospital doctors, nurses, PCAs/PCTs, transporters, and others rallied outside of the hospital to demand that the administration halt an unsafe plan to decommission one of the CT scanners that would put patients at risk.

The post Kings County Healthcare Workers Rally for Patient Safety appeared first on Left Voice.

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cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/6521665

cross-posted from: https://news.abolish.capital/post/3744

Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, who unionized with the United Auto Workers last year, announced Thursday that they will vote next week to authorize a strike after over 13 months of fruitless contract negotiations with the auto giant.

The strike authorization vote planned for October 28-29 "comes after months of unfair labor practices committed by the company, including bad faith negotiations, unlawful intimidation, and the unilateral cutting of jobs at Volkswagen’s only US assembly plant," UAW said in a statement. The union also highlighted Volkswagen's $20.6 billion in profits last year.

Company spokesperson Michael Lowder said Monday that "Volkswagen made it clear to the union that our last, best, and final offer is indeed final. We cannot in good faith prolong negotiations by continuing to bargain when we have already put our best offer on the table. It is time for the UAW to give VW employees a voice and let them decide for themselves by voting on our final offer."

However, multiple employees said Thursday that they are not happy with the company's latest offer and plan to vote for a strike.

"I'm voting yes because this is the time to show Volkswagen we are serious about receiving industry-standard treatment. Job security's essential. They could pay us $100 an hour, but it means nothing if they close the plant two weeks into the agreement," said James Robinson. "I'm hoping this process shows the company we are serious about getting a fair contract. We will show them their offer wasn't enough, show them we're willing to stand up to get what we deserve."

"I'm hoping this process shows the company we are serious about getting a fair contract."

Employee Taylor Fugate said that "I'm voting yes to get Volkswagen to come back to the table. The majority of the people I know don't want VW's 'final offer.' They want to keep negotiating, and we are willing to do what it takes to make that happen."

"We need affordable healthcare and a strong job security statement that leaves no gray area," Fugate added. "We also deserve equal standards—Southern autoworkers shouldn't be treated differently!"

One elected Republican held a press conference on Wednesday in a bid to bully the union into holding a vote on the company's latest offer. Local 3 News reported that Hamilton County Commissioner Jeff Eversole said: "Volkswagen put forward a final union contract offer over a month ago that offers significant gains for Chattanooga workers, including a 20% wage increase, a cost-of-living allowance, a $4,000 ratification bonus, lower healthcare costs, and much more. Many employees have been reaching out to the UAW to vote, and the UAW has refused."

Payday Report's Mike Elk pointed out Thursday that "the tactics used by the GOP in Chattanooga are similar to the tactics that they have used for more than a decade to sometimes successfully dissuade union votes by implying that the plant may close if the union gets 'too greedy' (their words, not my mine, as the son of a Volkswagen auto assembly line worker)."

Local 3 News noted that "during the press conference, dozens of members from both the UAW and the Chattanooga Area Central Labor Council, or CLC, began picketing outside of the VW plant."

The outlet also spoke with some employees. One of them, Dakotah Bailey, explained that "originally, it was going to be a 25% increase in wages. They didn't want to take that, and now they dropped it down to 20%. I wanted to try and get my money now. Especially right before the holidays. It would be great to have an extra $5,500 sitting in my bank account."

According to a "Volkswagen Stories" video series published by the UAW on YouTube, wages are a primary concern for workers. Other top priorities include health and safety conditions at the plant, healthcare, paid time off, and retirement benefits.

"I don't want to strike, but if it comes to it, I will," Volkswagen worker Mitchell Harris said Thursday. "Because I feel that all my brothers and sisters of UAW Local 42 deserve respect, to provide a better life for their families, and have job security for us and generations to come."

From Common Dreams via This RSS Feed.

cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/6450406

cross-posted from: https://ibbit.at/post/83983

Trade unions and youth organizations across Spain held strikes and nationwide demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine on Wednesday, October 15. Tens of thousands of people joined rallies in major cities, demanding an end to ties with Israel, justice for Palestine, and expressing opposition to Europe’s militarization. They also criticized Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s administration for failing to take all necessary measures to sanction Israel despite formal condemnations of the genocide.

The actions in Spain came just weeks after two general strikes brought Italy to a halt over similar demands, underscoring that solidarity with Palestine remains a key moment for social movements in Europe.

Read more: Workers shut down Italy again in solidarity with Palestine

Speaking at one of the rallies, Coral Latorre from the Students’ Union (Sindicato de Estudiantes) highlighted the crucial role of students and young people in sustaining the solidarity movement. Approximately 25,000 students participated in the demonstrations at Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, with thousands more joining protests in Barcelona, Tarragona, Valencia, and other cities following a wave of successful mobilizations earlier this month.

“Today we’re not only students [going on strike], but also workers,” Latorre said. “From the first hours of the morning, pickets, roadblocks, rallies in companies and factories, entire enterprises on strike… We said: we’ll block everything, and that’s what we’re doing with this day of general strike.”

October 15 rally in Barcelona. Source: Sindicato de Estudiantes/X

Frustration over the praise received by the recent ceasefire agreement announced by US President Donald Trump and Israeli authorities added fuel to the demonstrations. Protesters denounced the hypocrisy of European leaders congratulating Trump for his “peacemaking skills” while maintaining political, economic, and military cooperation with Israel and investing billions of euros in militarization.

“The ‘peace’ of the genocidal is not peace,” Latorre warned. “It is a farce to crown genocide, to turn Palestine into a colony, and to strip the Palestinian people of their right to exist […] This plan will bring neither justice nor freedom for Palestine.”

Read more: Trump Knesset speech displays complete US backing of Israel

Workers’ organizations, including the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), contextualized European governments’ support for Israel under their broader programs of militarization and austerity. While workers have mobilized for peace and solidarity with Palestine since the beginning of the genocide, governments have instead chosen policies that fund arms manufacturers and eliminate social protections. “CGT bases the call for this day of strike in the fight for a redistribution of public spending in favor of workers, and against the rise of public investment in items aimed at defense and militarization,” the trade union wrote.

The CGT emphasized that ongoing trade relations with Israel and increased military expenditure both show “that public budgets are being used for interests far from the reality that workers live.”

In some cities, protesters reported police repression. According to the Students’ Union, attempts to suppress Palestine solidarity actions in Europe following the ceasefire announcement should be taken as a clear signal to intensify mobilization, not scale it back.

“The [Trump] plan is a scam made by the executioners of the Palestinian people,” Latorre said. “That is why mobilization must continue, and our efforts must be redoubled. They want us to leave the streets precisely because now we’re coming out in greater numbers than ever: we have to keep pushing and keep raising our voices.”

The post Workers and students across Spain strike for Palestine appeared first on Peoples Dispatch.

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cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/6403476

It seemed impossible for Italy to strike for Palestine more successfully than it did the first time, yet it happened: 2 million people returned to the streets on October 3, blocking everything again. The second general strike was called by Si Cobas labor union on September 18, and circulated broadly after September 22, the date of the first strike.

After Israel attacked the Global Sumud Flotilla on the evening of October 1, CGIL (the biggest Italian union) and USB (the union that called the earlier general strike) joined the call. This landmark event marked the first time that all the leftist labor unions in the country decided to go on strike together.

The days preceding the strike were filled with constant mobilization. People took to the streets as soon as the attack on the flotilla was reported through media channels. A spontaneous rage and a will to act took over, with people rushing to the main squares in different Italian cities. After two years of genocide witnessed through phone and laptop screens, people of all ages gathered together physically in continuous and heterogeneous demonstrations. On October 2, the day after the attacks, people were in the streets again, in a diffuse vibrant and electric atmosphere that foreshadowed what would happen over the next two days.

As Marika Giati — a PhD student at the University of Pisa and part of the Women’s Assembly of the Migrants Coordination in Bologna — told Truthout, “In these demonstrations, a new consciousness could be felt — one that exploded and connected with the massive mobilizations stretching from Spain to France, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, Tunisia, Mexico, and Morocco.”

People were enraged by the Italian government as well. Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, speaking about Israel’s illegal control of the international waters adjacent to Gaza, said that international law is important, “but does not always matter” — justifying both the Israeli blockade, and the fact that the Italian frigate accompanying the flotilla abandoned the flotilla while it was being attacked and while Italian citizens were being illegally arrested by Israel.

In the meantime, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni openly opposed the strike and the protests, claiming that the strikers only wanted a longer weekend and didn’t want to work. Such comments purposely overlooked the conditions under which workers are striking, as if people were paid to be on strike. The Strike Guarantee Commission, the Italian regulatory authority on the right to strike, also attempted to hinder the strike, labelling it illegitimate and claiming that the unions didn’t provide enough advance notice.

Full Article

cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/6352089

Labor Notes recently released a guide to help organize for the much-anticipated May Day general strike in…2028. It’s useful information, but as the countdown clock on the site shows, still 937 days away. At the rate the Trump administration is moving, there might not be much left of unions by the scheduled date.

The criminally underreported National Security Presidential Memorandum recently issued by Trump looks to crackdown on a whole range of activities, including actions by workers. We’ve mentioned how the administration’s ICE machine is one of workforce engineering: people out and exploitable workers in.

The administration is also increasingly threatening to use conspiracy law to go after those in opposition to authoritarian capitalism in the US or Israel. Since the assasination of Charlie Kirk, Trump asked the Attorney General to investigate individuals who protested him at dinner, instructing her to “look into that in terms of RICO.” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche backed him up, saying such protesters are “part of an organized effort to inflict harm and terror and damage to the United States,” which justifies Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) investigations.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has also vowed to “dismantle and take on the radical left” through RICO and conspiracy charges.

It might be tempting to dismiss as more of Trump’s bloviating, but the war on the home front seems like one of the few areas where the administration is moving with unified purpose and, unlike the empire’s targets abroad, a foe against which they stand a chance. For all Trump’s faults he knows weakness, and understands all our crumbling institutions can be bought or bullied. RICO is a useful tool against any holdouts, and there are recent examples of it being wielded successfully.

Perhaps the biggest was the RICO charges against Stop Cop City activists in Atlanta (this was a state case that predated Trump 2.0). The charges against the protesters were recently dismissed on jurisdictional grounds — but not before destroying many of their lives.

Trump, despite also being targeted by Georgia’s anti-racketeering law, is eager to use it against others. In Los Angeles an individual was charged with conspiracy for providing face shields to ICE protesters, and pro-Palestinian protesters, animal activists, and anti-fascist counter-protesters have also faced such charges.

cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/6333980

cross-posted from: https://ibbit.at/post/72860

This article by Paloma Martínez Méndez originally appeared on October 3, 2025 at Radio Canadá Internacional, the multilingual service of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada’s state broadcaster.

“If companies are globalizing and have consortiums all over the world, workers must also globalize their strategies,” said Eladio de la Cruz Chavarría of the Frente Auténtico del Trabajo in an interview with RCI.

This delegate is one of three Mexican union representatives who traveled to several Canadian cities in September to meet with the United Steelworkers, the International Centre for Workers’ Solidarity (CISO), and the Quebec Federation of Workers (FTQ).

In June of this year, a Canadian delegation from the aforementioned organizations visited Mexico to participate in workshops and forums on labour rights.

Union Demands in the USMCA

Union members are demanding a voice in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA/USMCA) negotiations between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which are scheduled to begin in July 2026.

“We want to give our opinions and be part of the process. These are decisions that directly affect us as workers and our working conditions,” said Marco Antonio Chávez of Mexico’s National Miners’ Union.

Eladio de la Cruz Chavarría, Frente Auténtico del Trabajo, Aguascalientes, Mexico

The Rapid Labour Response Mechanism, provided for in the labour chapter of the USMCA, is seen as a tool to balance forces.

Chávez explained that this resource allows them to act when Mexican authorities fail to address union demands, although he acknowledged that there is still fear in Mexico about using it due to its consequences for businesses.

For his part, Miguel Ángel Villalobos, also from the National Miners’ Union, believes that more unions should be aware of and use this mechanism to defend themselves against companies that do not respect their workers’ rights. “It gave us Mexican workers a boost and a voice to bring our demands to those trinational courts.”

Tariffs Impact

Union representatives from Mexico and Canada agreed that the tariff crisis imposed by the United States and the renegotiation of the USMCA make international cooperation more urgent.

2020 CISO delegation to Hidalgo, Mexico

Eladio de la Cruz Chavarría explained that the central objective is to create a solid support network. “Understanding common problems and having different perspectives creates a slightly more defined strength. We’re also working with companies in the same industry in the state of Aguascalientes and here in Canada, in Toronto, and we see many shared concerns.”

Concern about the effects of tariffs is tangible. In Aguascalientes, De la Cruz Chavarría said, a textile company that exported to the United States is facing uncertainty. Another case in Durango resulted in permanent closure after the increase in export taxes.

Solidarity on the Ground

During their visit to Mexico in June of this year, the Canadian delegation participated in union training activities and learned about local struggles firsthand.

Likewise, during their tour of Canada in September, Mexican union representatives were able to present their complaints and learn from the experiences of union members in the metalworking and mining sectors, as well as begin to build alliances on related issues.

Mineros & Frente Auténtico del Trabajo visiting ArcelorMittal

Guillaume Charboneau, Executive Director of the United Steelworkers’ Humanity Fund, explained that close exchanges have been key: “Going directly to see the workers, talking to them, and understanding their reality makes a difference. It allows us to bring their voices to the negotiating tables here and demonstrate that the struggles are shared.”

Amélie Nguyen, director of the International Center for Workers’ Solidarity (CISO), recalled that the Frente Auténtico del Trabajo, has been a long-standing partner since 1975. “There have been many actions in the past and now with the solidarity economy, but there have also been more political alliances regarding free trade and collective thinking. So it’s a very important and beloved partner.”

Daniel Mallet, of the Unified Union of Steelworkers, highlighted the value of direct contact between activists in both countries: “This builds solidarity on the ground, connects people, and allows for stronger pressure to come from the grassroots toward organizations.”

Along the same lines, the representative of the Quebec Federation of Workers (FTQ) said that the cooperation that has begun must be consolidated to address the division that the U.S. government is using as a strategy. “We share many concerns, and the asymmetry being created with the United States has an impact […] Trump’s strategy is forcing us to withdraw into ourselves. And that will force us to fight industry by industry, factory by factory, to save our jobs,” said Wilfred Cordeau.

Trade union cooperation between Mexico and Canada seeks to jointly address the consequences of U.S. tariffs and actively participate in the trade agreement negotiations, defending the rights of workers in both countries.

Labor | News Briefs

Mexican & Canadian Labour Coordinating USMCA Approach

October 4, 2025October 4, 2025

In September, delegates from the Frente Auténtico del Trabajo and the National Miners’ Union of Mexico traveled to Canada to meet with local unions to strengthen their ties and demand an active role in the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

News Briefs

Mexico Moves Towards Unified Healthcare with PRONAM

October 4, 2025October 4, 2025

The General Health Council’s new guidelines are based on the best scientific evidence for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of priority diseases for the entire health sector.

News Briefs

Mexicans Kidnapped by israel to be Repatriated

October 4, 2025October 4, 2025

A protest Friday afternoon drew crowds to the israeli embassy in the Lomas de Chapultepec neighbourhood of Mexico City to demand the release of the six Mexicans.

The post Mexican & Canadian Labour Coordinating USMCA Approach appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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As boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla prepared to set sail toward Gaza from the coasts of Italy, Spain, and Tunisia, a representative of Genoa’s Dockworkers’ Union (CALP), now part of Unione Sindacale di Base, declared that if anything happened to the flotilla, workers would “block everything.” “Our young women and men must come back without a scratch,” the worker said at the port…

Source

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cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/5872395

Thousands of power loom, textile, and kiln workers across Punjab’s industrial hubs of Faisalabad and Gujranwala have sustained protests since late July 2025, demanding the implementation of Pakistan’s increased minimum wage and urgent improvements to their working conditions.

The demonstrations, met with illegal factory lockouts by owners, mark a critical standoff between labor and capital in the region’s vital textile sector. 

The unrest follows Punjab’s June 2025 budget announcement, which included a revised minimum monthly wage of Pakistani rupee 40,000 (140 US dollars). 

Though considered highly inadequate by unions which had demanded a minimum wage of PKR 70,000 (245 US dollars), workers report persistent resistance from factory owners and local authorities toward implementing even the promised wage, a pattern compounded by deteriorating workplace safety and withheld benefits. This systemic non-compliance ignited the current wave of workers’ mobilization. 

The workers, particularly in Faisalabad’s power loom sector, which employs roughly 25% of Pakistan’s textile workforce, endure severe conditions: 

Insufficient wages, often below PKR 15,000 per month12-hour shiftsHazardous working conditions plagued by electrical faults, fire risks, and absent safety protocols

Many are denied social security registration, blocking access to healthcare, pensions, and injury compensation, while kiln workers face a form of bonded labor through coercive advance payments.

Workers fight back after owners slash wages 30%

The immediate trigger came in July, when factory owners in Faisalabad and Gujranwala unilaterally slashed wages by 20-30%, citing global market pressures, while further neglecting safety and social security obligations. 

Workers swiftly mobilized under the leadership of established labor organizations, the Labour Qaumi Movement (LQM), founded in 2003 to combat exploitation, and Haqooq-e-Khalq Party (HKP), a leftist socialist party of Pakistan. 

Mass protests paralyzed industrial zones by mid-July. In Faisalabad, workers blockaded key corridors, chanting “Kam do ya jaan do!” (Give work or give death!), crystallizing five core demands: 

Implementation of the legal minimum wageMandatory social security registrationImmediate factory safety overhaulsAbolition of bonded laborFormal union recognition

Factory owners retaliated with a lockout of over 300 factories in Faisalabad, chaining gates, freezing wages, and barring workers, a move later declared illegal by the labor court. Outcomes diverged sharply between cities. 

In Gujranwala, weeks of strikes and protests forced local authorities to broker a provisional agreement, reversing the wage cuts and committing to address other demands. Strengthened by this victory, Faisalabad’s protests escalated.

Since August 1 to date, hundreds of workers, including significant numbers of women and children, have maintained continuous protests outside the Faisalabad Deputy Commissioner’s office, demanding state intervention. 

Leading the effort is Baba Latif Ansari, LQM chairman and HKP Punjab president. Ansari, a former religious activist who redefined “jihad” as workplace justice and survived a 2014 assassination attempt by factory owners, today bridges grassroots mobilization with legal strategy for workers in Faisalabad. 

The HKP amplifies the struggle nationally, challenging lockouts in courts and framing demands for state action against exploitation. Internationally, Punjab’s workers embody a global fight for dignity, resonating with global movements. A victory here could inspire marginalized workers across the Global South supply chains. 

As of August 12, Gujranwala workers are monitoring their agreement’s implementation while Faisalabad’s protests persist. 

The provincial government faces a pivotal choice: enforce labor laws and ensure wage implementation or endorse the owners’ illegal tactics. The workers’ resolve echoes the cry of an LQM organizer: “Toh Hum kya chahte? Azadi!” (What do we want? Freedom!).

cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/5765833

A group of United Auto Workers members is seeking to oust President Shawn Fain ahead of an election next year, a sign of frustration among some in the two years since the labor group secured landmark contracts with U.S. automakers.

Workers at a Stellantis NV truck factory in suburban Detroit and an engine plant in southeast Michigan voted over the weekend to start the union’s process to remove its leader, said two UAW members involved with the effort. The votes join earlier ones by four other local UAW chapters, reaching the threshold needed for Fain’s opponents to bring allegations of financial mismanagement, workplace retaliation and other issues against him to the federal monitor overseeing the union for potential discipline.

Representatives for Fain and the UAW didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The move increases pressure on Fain, the bombastic labor leader who led a 2023 strike against Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Stellantis that helped secure significant wage gains for workers. Fain won a close runoff earlier that year, the first direct vote by union members in the UAW’s 90-year history.

Now, ahead of the union’s next leadership elections in 2026, Fain is facing blowback from some members for layoffs at Stellantis factories, claims he retaliated against two fellow board members who disagreed with him and accusations that the union has mismanaged its funds.

“I supported Shawn, but his spending is out of control and he’s retaliatory,” David Pillsbury, a worker at GM’s Flint, Mich., truck plant who started the petition to remove Fain, said in an interview. “The transparency Shawn promised hasn’t happened.”

Although a small fraction of the UAW’s more than 600 locals, the groups seeking to oust Fain represent a vocal contingent that have been hurt by layoffs. Fain still has strong support among the legions of graduate student teaching aides who are also members of the union, said Art Wheaton, director of labor studies at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

The effort to remove Fain was started by two UAW members who have criticized Fain for a lack of transparency. Pillsbury and Brian Keller, a Stellantis worker who intends to run against Fain next year, plan to take their proposal next to a pair of plants in Ohio and Fain’s home plant in Kokomo, Ind., Pillsbury said.

Turnout at some locals has been small. At the Sterling Heights plant that voted over the weekend, 63 workers showed up with all but one voting to oust Fain, Pillsbury said. The plant has 6,200 employees.

If the union challenges any of the victories because of low voter turnout or for any other reason, he said he wants enough wins to maintain the six victories needed to push ahead.

Some UAW workers are angry over thousands of layoffs at Stellantis factories since the 2023 contract was ratified, moves the company took to tame inventory amid declining market share. The contract that Fain negotiated allowed Stellantis to fire hundreds of temporary workers, and it has since been replacing them with part-time summer employees, said Eric Graham, president of UAW Local 140.

“They told the people that ‘this is the best contract ever,’ and it was — incentive-wise,” said Graham, who represents workers at a Stellantis assembly plant in Warren, Michigan, where more than 1,500 people are currently laid off. “But when you pressure the company the way they did and make the company spend money they didn’t want to spend,” it puts jobs at risk, he said.

Five of the six locals that voted to begin removal proceedings represent employees of the Jeep maker, where Fain worked as an electrician before moving up the ranks of UAW administration.

Dissent over Fain’s leadership also centers on his decision to strip duties from two of the union’s elected vice presidents. There were about 1,900 UAW members still on layoff at the end of July, a Stellantis spokeswoman said.

Fain retaliated against UAW Treasurer-Secretary Margaret Mock after she refused to approve certain expenses, according to a report by Neil Barofsky, the federal monitor appointed by the Justice Department to oversee UAW governance after two past presidents were convicted on corruption charges.

After the monitor issued that report, Fain and 10 other board members shot back in a letter saying Mock had obstructed funding for critical organizing efforts. They also blamed the financial management issues on her, saying the monitor is looking into management of union investments during her tenure as treasurer.

The monitor is also probing similar allegations made by the other vice president, Rich Boyer, who was the UAW’s chief negotiator with Stellantis before Fain removed him from the union’s Stellantis department.