UAW Moves To Oust President From Union

DETROIT (AP) - Leaders of the United Auto Workers union are trying to force President Gary Jones and Regional Director Vance Pearson out of office due to a widening federal bribery and embezzlement probe.

The union says in a statement Wednesday that its executive board filed papers under the UAW's constitution to expel the men from the union.

The papers say that Jones and Pearson directed submission of bogus expense records and concealed where the money went, violating ethics procedures and federal labor laws.

Pearson has been charged with embezzling thousands of to pay for expensive cigars and wines, golf greens fees, clothing and to rent a lavish villa in California. Jones has not been charged but federal authorities raided his suburban Detroit home in August.

The move comes amid a lawsuit filed by General Motors against Fiat Chrysler on Wednesday alleging that its crosstown rival bribed union officials to get lower labor costs.