DETROIT—While United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain continues to be under federal investigation, new allegations from the union claim that the court-appointed federal monitor has engaged in a years-long campaign of political retaliation against Fain, after the UAW called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Department of Justice opened a grand jury investigation into Fain following a report from federal monitor Neil Barofsky. He accused Fain of retaliating against top officers, Margaret Mock and Richard Boyer, and improperly seeking benefits for family members. For his part, Fain vehemently denied the allegations and called them “bogus” and politically motivated.
Fain has rejected the findings entirely. On Facebook Live, he said: “I never sought special favors for anybody in my family.” He accused Boyer of hypocrisy, noting the vice president had tried to get his own daughter and grandson hired by the union, which were requests Fain blocked.
“I’m done being silent,” Fain said. “Neil Barofsky has a political grudge against me because the UAW took an anti-war stance about what was happening in Gaza.”
As previously reported by People’s World, the conflict traces back to November 2023, when the UAW’s International Executive Board passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. At that time, it was the largest national union to do so. Fain publicly praised the union’s position, saying: “From opposing fascism in WWII to mobilizing against apartheid South Africa and the CONTRA war, the UAW has consistently stood for justice across the globe.”
Just weeks later, on December 12, 2023, Barofsky called Fain to express concerns about the union’s position. An audio recording of the call, obtained by Drop Site News and authenticated, reveals Barofsky pressing Fain over the statement.
Barofsky, who is Jewish, then warned Fain that referencing the UAW’s prior stances against fascism and apartheid could “potentially cross the line into the area of antisemitism.”
“In the statement, when you made comparisons to the UAW’s prior statements against fascism in World War II, against apartheid in South Africa and the CONTRAs, it unintentionally—I believe, unintentionally—drew a parallel between the actions of Israel after it was attacked by Hamas,” Barofsky said on the recording.
Fain forcefully rejected the characterization. “My problem with this is they’re killing tens of thousands of innocent fucking civilians in this process, and it’s complete bullshit,” Fain told Barofsky.
The recording released by Drop Site News undercuts previous claims by Barofsky about his interactions with Fain. During a subsequent board meeting, Barofsky had falsely claimed he never said the UAW statement crossed a line into “antisemitism.”
At that same meeting, Barofsky claimed he had never used the word “antisemitic” or implied that Fain was antisemitic. The recording, however, shows Barofsky telling Fain his statement “potentially crossed the line into the area of antisemitism.”
Tlaib calls for monitor’s resignation
Michigan Representative Rashida Tlaib called on Barofsky to resign.
“Neil Barofsky’s personal support for genocide is irreparably interfering with his duties, and he should resign from his position immediately,” Tlaib said.
The investigation comes as Fain campaigns for reelection for UAW president. Ballots are set to be sent out to the membership in August.
Fain called Barofsky’s report election interference in a statement: “Now, more than two years after becoming aware of Vice President Boyer’s allegations, and on the eve of our election, Mr. Barofsky has chosen to publicly release a politically charged and false report about me,” he wrote.
The UAW has been under federal oversight since a 2020 corruption probe that sent numerous union officials and auto executives to prison. Barofsky was appointed in 2021 for at least a six-year term.
Fain argued that the conflict between his union reform movement and the monitor ultimately benefits the bosses. “The choice here is between a union that fights or a union that fails,” he said on Facebook Live.
“If Rich Boyer is your next president, I can assure you one thing. The company will be in heaven.”
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