Gettelfinger wins second term as UAW chief
LAS VEGAS — With four of the most challenging years in the United Auto Workers union’s history in front of him, Ron Gettelfinger was elected Wednesday to a second term as UAW president.
Gettelfinger, 61, faced no opposition and was re-elected by the 1,400 delegates to the union’s constitutional convention, which is held every four years.
He faces turbulent times and difficult decisions as U.S. automakers and suppliers continue to reduce their manufacturing work forces and drive down union membership.
After Gettelfinger’s election by acclamation, delegates re-elected Secretary Treasurer Elizabeth Bunn and picked five vice presidents. All were unopposed and on a slate backed by Gettelfinger.
“Ron is the guy, and it’s a good team that he’s got on board,” said Jeff Washington, president of Local 900 at a Ford Motor Co. plant in Wayne, Mich.
During a floor speech Tuesday, Washington called for a march on Washington and shutting the country down with a strike to protest anti-labor policies. But after Wednesday’s election, he said he agreed with Gettelfinger’s negotiate-and-cooperate approach with manufacturers that are losing money.
“It’s always better to sit down and work your differences out,” he said.
If the companies don’t bargain, though, Washington said Gettelfinger will know what to do: “Ron’s tough. Believe me. He’ll know when to come out fighting.”
Delegates cheered after the elections amid thousands of red, white, blue and yellow balloons, some with “Elect Ron’s Team” printed on them. Then there was a large receiving line in a ballroom at the MGM Grand Hotel that lasted more than two hours.
Also elected were vice presidents Terry Thurman, Cal Rapson, James Settles Jr., General Holiefield and Bob King.
Bunn, Rapson and King were incumbents. Settles, Thurman and Holiefield replace Gerald Bantom, Nate Gooden and Dick Shoemaker, who are all retiring.
Gettelfinger, a Frenchtown, Ind., native, joined the union in 1964 as a chassis line repairman at Ford’s Louisville, Ky., assembly plant.