Federal judge signs off on historic change in UAW elections

By ED WHITE
Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Members of the United Auto Workers will vote in national leadership elections after a judge approved the results of a referendum that rose from a corruption scandal. The change must be added to the UAW’s constitution by June, in time for the next election of officers at the Detroit-based union. Federal Judge David Lawson signed off on the changes Monday, a few months after UAW members by a landslide chose a direct election system. The referendum was part of a broader agreement between the UAW and federal authorities to clean up the union. A dozen convictions exposed corruption at the highest levels of the union and led to prison terms for two presidents.