Solidarity has its limits.
UAW president Gary Jones (Photo: Facebook)
The Detroit News reports that the federal investigation against United Auto Workers president Gary Jones is being aided by two of Jones' close associates, as the government looks into corruption in the union leadership:
Former (Jones) deputy Danny Trull and retired UAW Secretary/Treasurer Gary Casteel have met with investigators and provided an insider's view of an alleged conspiracy and cover-up involving more than $1 million spent on personal luxuries, according to federal court records and six sources familiar with the investigation.
The government is building its case at the same time that 46,000 UAW members are striking General Motors Co. nationwide. The corruption investigation — marked by federal raids and criminal charges against 11 people linked to the UAW and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV — raises questions about whether Jones and the union's senior leadership can sell a new contract to the UAW-GM rank-and-file.
Trull and Casteel join a team of former UAW officials who have cooperated with the investigation into labor law crimes, kickbacks, bribes, and embezzlement and helped prosecutors secure nine convictions.
Jones, former president Dennis Williams and two other high-ranking officials have been under investigation by the FBI for some time, preceding the strike, now in its third week.
