I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a feminist scholar, but a bit of news coming out of Toledo left me flabbergasted.

The Toledo Blade reports that Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerkin, who is a retired UAW official, leased his wife an Acura for Christmas–a non-union Ohio made Acura. Of course that is a real no-no if you owe the union for your job, your pension, and your political support–at least that’s what the UAW would like Gerkin to believe.

In response, Gerkin points out that his “wife was in mind to get another car, her lease was up, and chose to buy an Ohio-built car–and that’s her choice.”

Not so fast. The UAW will not stand for that kind of equal-footed relationship, where wives’ wants’ come before union brotherhood.

Doing his best Fred Flintstone impression, Bruce Baumhower, President of UAW Local 12, explained:

“My wife has always wanted a [Chrysler] PT Cruiser, which is made in Mexico, so there will never be a PT Cruiser in my family.”