United Auto Workers President Gary Jones has resigned effective immediately, according to his attorney. The UAW announced earlier today that it was filing charges under Article 30 of the UAW Constitution to expel Jones and Vance Pearson, director of UAW Region 5, from membership in the union. According to UAW’s news release, Jones and Pearson, allegedly directed the “submission of false, misleading and inaccurate expense records to the UAW Accounting Department” and “concealed the true information” of those expenses, which the release states are violations of the union’s Ethical Practices Code and applicable federal labor laws.
Jones, whose Detroit home was searched in August, has been accused in a criminal filing of conspiring with an aide to embezzle up to $700,000 in union money. Jones has not been charged in the embezzlement probe. Rory Gamble became acting president of UAW after Jones announced his leave of absence.