Chair Cassidy Exposes UAW Boss for Workplace Retaliation, Abusing Members’ Trust

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, slammed United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain for engaging in workplace retaliation to advance his personal agenda at the expense of union members.

According to a court-appointed Monitor, President Fain's office led a retaliation campaign against Secretary Treasurer Margaret Mock and Vice President Rich Boyer-officers UAW members elected in their first-ever direct election of International Executive Board (IEB) officers. As a result, the two officers lost their departmental oversight, and Mock was relieved of her two board positions.

The Monitor concluded that Mock was a victim of retaliation for instituting strict policies governing expenses. Boyer argues that he was fired because he refused to institute changes to benefit Fain's fiancé and his fiancé's sister. Although Mock and Boyer regained oversight of those departments and Mock regained her board positions, Fain's actions cannot be ignored.

Cassidy is further investigating Fain's potential misuse of members' dues to litigate these matters, and whether Fain has retaliated against other UAW members.

"Your conduct, and that of several UAW employees and officers under your supervision or in coordination with you, is an abuse of UAW members' trust," wrote Dr. Cassidy. "These actions create a serious distraction from UAW's purpose to improve and protect UAW members' wages, benefits, work hours, and other terms and conditions of employment."

Read the full letter here or below:

Dear Mr. Fain,

Several news reports and two reports by the United Auto Workers' (UAW) court-appointed Monitor ("Monitor") have detailed concerning instances of workplace retaliation under your leadership.¹ According to the Monitor, you retaliated against at least one officer directly elected by workers for enforcing financial controls and subsequently sought to destroy evidence of that retaliation. ² Your conduct, and that of several UAW employees and officers under your supervision or in coordination with you, as alleged, is an abuse of UAW members' trust. These actions create a serious distraction from UAW's purpose to improve and protect UAW members' wages, benefits, work hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.

I am also concerned that the cost of litigating these matters is a disservice to the American workers who pay dues to the UAW. Because workers pay dues to the UAW to ensure adequate representation that will improve their lives and protect their jobs, I write today seeking answers to these reports and clarity on UAW policies that you have relied on to restrict the duties of officers duly elected by workers, and to learn the total amount of worker dues that have been needlessly used to litigate these matters instead of advocating for workers.

The UAW Constitution provides for the election of an Internal Executive Board and defines the parameters of the roles of International President and International Secretary-Treasurer.³ Notably, the International President has the ability "to withdraw any field assignment made to any elected officer when they become convinced that the officer has been derelict in their duty or been guilty of a dishonest act".⁴ This provision is the justification that you or your office has used when removing departments or duties from UAW Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock and Vice President Rich Boyer.

Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock

In 2025, the UAW's Monitor released a report and a supplement to that report detailing your retaliatory decision to remove several departments from Ms. Mock's purview. The report states that you alleged to the UAW International Executive Board (IEB) board that Ms. Mock "weaponized" her authority for political purposes, delayed or obstructed the work of other departments, or conditioned her approval of expenses on Board members' support for her initiatives. ⁵ As a consequence of these allegations, the IEB motioned to remove eleven departments from Ms. Mock's oversight and two board positions.⁶ Following an investigation, the Monitor's report on the matter concluded that contrary to Ms. Mock being derelict in her duty, she was the victim of retaliation for instituting strict policies governing expenses.⁷ In response to the Supplement to the Monitor's Twelfth Status Report, which clearly demonstrated your retaliatory intent, the UAW agreed to reinstate Ms. Mock's oversight of eleven departments and two board positions.⁸

Vice President Rich Boyer

According to a report in the Detroit Free Press, in 2024, you removed the Stellantis department from Vice President Rich Boyer's oversight citing dereliction of duty and other allegations as your justification.⁹ News reports cite the true reason for the removal of Mr. Boyer from the Stellantis department as a disagreement over staffing changes.¹⁰ In addition, Mr. Boyer states the dismissal was motivated by his refusal to make changes that would benefit your fiancé and your fiancé's sister.¹¹ Mr. Boyer appealed your decision to the IEB and was informed that he did not have a right to have counsel present.¹² In response to the Supplement to the Monitor's Twelfth Status Report and before the Monitor's investigation of the matter involving Mr. Boyer has concluded, the UAW agreed to reinstate Mr. Boyer's oversight of the Stellantis department.¹³

We need transparency to ensure workers who pay dues to the UAW feel confident that those dues are going toward activities that ultimately improve their working conditions. To that end, I request answers to the following questions by January 30^th, 2026:

Union Member Dues

1. Please provide the total monetary and employee hours cost to UAW members in the matter involving Ms. Mock.
2. Please provide the total monetary and employee hours cost, so far, to UAW members in the matter involving Mr. Boyer.
3. Will you commit to not increasing dues for UAW members to pay for internal UAW proceedings or any legal proceedings on these or other allegations of retaliation?
4. Will you reimburse the UAW for the cost of defending these allegations on your behalf?

Workplace Retaliation

1. Have any members of the UAW not listed in this letter brought complaints against you for workplace retaliation?
2. 1. If so, please detail each individual complaint and the allegations they contain.
3. Does the UAW have a written workplace retaliation policy?
4. 1. Does that policy apply to elected officers as well as staff?
5. 1. Please provide a copy of that policy.
6. If the UAW has a workplace retaliation policy that applies to elected officers, has an investigation or disciplinary proceedings against you begun in light of the publication of the Supplement to the Monitor's Twelfth Status Report?
7. 1. If an investigation or disciplinary proceedings have not commenced, will you proactively ask for appropriate action to be taken?
8. Does the UAW currently have a process whereby UAW members can report retaliation from any member of the IEB, including yourself, without fear of reprisal? If so, please detail that process.
9. 1. If not, does the UAW have any plans to establish such a process, and what would it entail?
10. 1. If the UAW refuses to create such a process, how can UAW members hold IEB members accountable without fear of retaliation?

Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock

1. The Monitor's Twelfth Status Report regarding the action you took against Ms. Mock cites a witness stating that your view of the Secretary-Treasurer's job is to "sign the [expletive] check."¹⁴
2. 1. Is this an accurate representation of your view of the elected Secretary-Treasurer's duties?

1. 1. If not, please describe what you view as the specific responsibilities of the Secretary-Treasurer.
2. As you are aware, the UAW entered into a consent decree due to a history of financial malfeasance.¹⁵ The Monitor's report concludes that Ms. Mock put strong controls in place to control inappropriate spending and safeguard member dues.¹⁶ The report states you took issue with those controls.
3. 1. Please describe what specific policies you objected to and why.
4. 1. Please describe how you would modify these policies in a way that still safeguard

members' dues from inappropriate spending.

1. One of the steps the UAW is taking to "remediate the retaliatory actions of the President's Office" is reinstating Ms. Mock's supervision over eleven departments and restoring her to two board positions.

Vice President Rich Boyer

1. According to news reports, Mr. Boyer contends that his removal from the Stellantis

department would benefit your fiancé and your fiancé's sister.

1. 1. Did you or anyone under your supervision direct that your fiancé or your fiancé's sister be placed on, consult for, or otherwise be involved in the Stellantis department?
   2. Do either your fiancé or your fiancé's sister stand to benefit in any direct or indirect way from the Stellantis department being removed from Mr. Boyer's oversight?
2. 1. Please state if either your fiancé or your fiancé's sister have any other official or unofficial involvement with the UAW or any of its departments.
3. 1. Does the UAW have written workplace nepotism or conflict of interest policies?
      1. Does that policy apply to elected officers as well as staff?
      2. Please provide a copy of that policy.
4. Mr. Boyer asserted that he received a letter from your office indicating he did not have the right to have counsel present at an IEB appeals meeting.¹⁷ However, Article 33, Section 4(f) of the UAW Constitution states, "[a]ny party to an appeal before the International Executive Board, Convention Appeals Committee or Public Review Board, shall be permitted representation by counsel or other representative of their choice."¹⁸
5. 1. Did your office have the assistance of counsel in responding to Mr. Boyer?
6. 1. Please explain why Mr. Boyer was not entitled to have counsel present at the IEB appeals meeting. In addition, please provide copies of any memos or other communications informing Mr. Boyer of this decision.
   2. Did you or your office rely on the assistance of counsel at the IEB appeals meeting? a.If yes, please describe how counsel assisted in the preparation for the

appeals meeting.

b.Did they travel with you to the meeting even if they were not present at the meeting?

1. One of the steps the UAW is taking to "remediate the retaliatory actions of the President's Office" is to reinstate Mr. Boyer's supervision of the Stellantis department prior to the conclusion of the Monitor's investigation into Mr. Boyer's allegations.
2. 1. Is Mr. Boyer's reinstatement a pre-emptive admission that you or UAW leadership engaged in retaliatory conduct against him?
3. 1. Is Mr. Boyer's reinstatement a pre-emptive admission that you may have provided the Monitor false or misleading statements or engaged in the destruction of evidence, like you did in Ms. Mock's case?
4. 1. If Mr. Boyer's reinstatement is not a pre-emptive admission of retaliatory conduct or other malfeasance, what is the UAW's reasoning for reinstating him prior to the conclusion of the monitor's investigation?

Undue Influence

1. The Supplement to the Monitor's Twelfth Status Report lays out how your former Top Administrative Assistant, Chris Brooks, and Communications Director, Jonah Furman, were deeply involved in the crafting of the Special Compliance Report that included false allegations and was used at the IEB meeting where you motioned to remove Ms. Mock's oversight over eleven departments.
2. 1. Did Mr. Brooks or Mr. Furman report directly to you?
      1. If so, how often did they report on their work to you and what was the depth of your knowledge of their work?
      2. If not, who did they report to and how did that person keep you informed of their work?
3. 1. Did either or both Mr. Brooks or Mr. Furman communicate with you about their involvement in editing, writing, re-writing, suggesting changes to, commenting on, or otherwise engaging with the Special Compliance Report?
      1. If so, please detail each of those conversations.
4. 1. Did either or both Mr. Brooks or Mr. Furman communicate with you about a larger strategy to promote false allegations against Ms. Mock?
5. According to the Supplement to the Monitor's Twelfth Status Report, you, Mr. Brooks, and the Compliance Director met to discuss the Special Compliance Report before a draft had been finalized.
6. 1. What did you discuss with the Compliance Director related to the Special Compliance Report?
7. 1. Did you give the Compliance Director instructions on what to include or remove from the Special Compliance Report?
8. 1. Did you give the Compliance Director any other direction related to the Special Compliance report?
9. 1. Did you give Mr. Brooks any instructions related to ongoing involvement with the Special Compliance Report or supervising the Compliance Director?
10. How do you view the obligations of your office in keeping the activities of the Compliance Director independent from that of other UAW departments?
11. 1. Do you believe that meeting with the Compliance Director about an unfinished product was inappropriate?

UAW Constitution and Structure

1. Article 13 of the UAW Constitution defines the duties of the International President and International Secretary-Treasurer.¹⁹ However, this provision does not exist for the role of an International Vice President.
2. 1. Please describe the duties of an elected UAW International Vice President.
3. 1. Why does the UAW Constitution not include a provision to outline the duties of an International Vice President?
4. 1. Do either you or the IEB plan to define the role of an International Vice President in the UAW Constitution?
5. At the time of the 2022 UAW International Officer Election, were the departments removed from Secretary-Treasurer Mock or Vice President Boyer listed as part of their roles in any election materials?
6. 1. To your knowledge, did any voter publicly state they voted for either candidate due to their future oversight of specific departments?
7. Article 13, Section 4 of the UAW Constitution states, "[t]he International President shall have power to withdraw any field assignment made to any elected officer when they become convinced that the officer has been derelict in their duty or been guilty of a dishonest act."²⁰ The UAW Constitution does not define the terms "dereliction of duty" or "dishonest act."
8. 1. Please provide definitions for the terms "dereliction of duty" and "dishonest act."
9. 1. Are these the definitions you used when you took action against Ms. Mock and Mr. Boyer? If not, please provide those additional definitions.
10. Is there a limit to an International President's exercise of Article 13, Section 4 power? Why or why not?
11. Do you believe it is in the interest of workers to remove departments from elected officers?
12. Did the UAW provide adequate notice to its members, the IEB, or the Monitor, of your intent to demote or remove elected officers?

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