The leadership of the United Auto Workers (UAW) has reached a proposed settlement with the US Justice Department to head off a racketeering lawsuit. The settlement will provide for a vote of all 400,000 union members to decide whether they want direct election of top leaders, or to continue with the present system of convention delegates choosing the national leadership.

The IBT will soon have a new independent officer in charge of investigating internal union corruption. Robert D. Luskin has been selected for the next five-year term as Independent Investigations Officer (IIO), replacing Joseph di Genova, a long-time Hoffa appointee.