DETROIT (AP) — The challenger in the race for the United Auto Workers' top leadership post claimed victory Saturday in a close election that is likely to give his slate of candidates control of the huge union.
In a statement, challenger Shawn Fain's slate said that a federal court-appointed monitor has declared Fain the winner over incumbent Ray Curry. A message was left Saturday seeking confirmation from monitor Neil Barofsky.
It was the 372,000-member union's first direct election of its 14-member International Executive Board, which came in the wake of a wide-ranging bribery and embezzlement scandal that landed two former presidents in prison.
The statement from Fain's slate said he leads Curry by 483 votes, greater than the number of challenged ballots that remain.
The count has been going on since March 1, and Curry has filed a protest alleging election irregularities and campaign financing violations.
"For too long, the UAW has been unwilling to confront management, and as a result we've seen nothing but concessions, corruption and plant closures," Fain said in a statement. "While the election was close it is clear that our membership has long wanted to see a more aggressive approach with our employers."
Fain, 54, now an administrator with the international union in Detroit, had 50.2% of the vote going into a count of disputed ballots on Saturday, while Curry, 57, had 49.8%. There were just under 600 challenged ballots left to be counted in the protracted vote count
The vote is unofficial, and official tallies will come later.
Curry had asked Barofsky to hold another runoff election because of the alleged irregularities, but Barofsky denied the request.
Fain's UAW Members United slate now holds seven of 14 seats on the board, with one independent member siding with his slate. The Curry Solidarity Team slate has six board members. Four of five top officers are from Fain's slate, including the secretary-treasurer and two of three vice presidents.
