The Bottomless UAW Money Pit

Michelle Malkin ^ | December 31, 2008 | Michelle Malkin

[St. Louis Conservative]

Nero fiddled while Rome burned. The UAW golfed. While carmakers soak up $17 billion in taxpayer bailout funds and demand more for their ailing industry, United Auto Workers bosses have wasted tens of millions of their workers’ dues on gold-plated resorts and rotten investments. The labor organization’s money-losing golf compound is just the tip of the iceberg.

Earlier this month on my blog, I noted that the UAW owns and operates Black Lake Golf Course — a “championship caliber” course opened in 2000 that’s part of a larger “family education center” and retreat nestled in 1,000 acres of property in Onaway, Michigan. Spearheaded by former UAW president Steve Yokich, the resort also includes “a beautiful gym with two full-sized basketball courts, an Olympic-size indoor pool, and exercise and weight room, table-tennis and pool tables, a sauna, beaches, walking and bike trails, softball and soccer fields and a boat launch ramp.” Like everything else we’re subsidizing these days, the UAW’s playground is a money pit. The Detroit Free Press reported earlier this year that the golf course (valued at $6 million) and education center (valued at $27 million) have together lost $23 million over the past five years. While membership in the union has plummeted, the UAW retains assets worth $1.2 billion.

Curious about how the UAW will be spending my money and yours, I sifted through the union’s most recent annual report filed with the U.S. Department of Labor (which you can find at unionreports.gov). Who knew hitting the links was so central to the business of making cars?

[madison10]

Yeah, but no one gets to use it except the UAW big shots. Don’t throw everyone under the bus over a bunch of greedy,socialist, labor politicians.

[St. Louis Conservative]

UAW big shots, Democrat politicians, left-wing activists.....

They all exist to suck as much money and power away from the very people they claim to represent: rank and file workers. When will the rank & file wake up?

[jeffc]

Yeah, but no one gets to use it except the UAW big shots. Don’t throw everyone under the bus over a bunch of greedy,socialist, labor politicians.

Wrong. That was my first thought, too. I checked the website. It's actually open to all, and UAW union members get discounts on green fees.
Still . . .why a golf course? In the north, it can only operate for a half a year, at most, right? How do other golf courses in the snow belt make money?