UAW president Ron Gettelfinger reelected
Nobody saw this one coming... Ron Gettelfinger, ran unopposed and was reelected as the president of the United Auto Workers (UAW) at its 34th Constitutional Convention in Las Vegas. Alongside him on the slate were five vice presidents, three of which are expected to be named as liaisons to Ford, Chrysler and General Motors, as well as a secretary-treasurer.
Despite this being a surprise to precisely nobody, it's interesting that Gettelfinger ran completely unopposed, particularly given the strife between his organization and OEMs and their suppliers, as well as the fact that the union has lost enough of its membership to be credited with the lowest numbers since 1942.
[Source: The New York Times]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Your Mom 11:20AM (6/15/2006)
Why would anyone in the UAW run against Ron? If you won, then you'd have to work.
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Alexander Drummond 11:21AM (6/15/2006)
Death of U.S. car manufacturing. Congratulations, UAW, on killing yourself. *rolls eyes*
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doug 11:44AM (6/15/2006)
Who would want to be "the one" that presided over the demise of the UAW dream? What would he do anyway, get a job working for "the man" at some non-union outfit?
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Chow 11:52AM (6/15/2006)
The American public reelected George Bush. The UAW reelected Ron Gettelfinger. Good bye US economy, good bye US car manufacturing. Soon Ron will blame Iraq for destroying the US car manufacturing business.
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Shawn 11:58AM (6/15/2006)
They were too lazy to fill out a form to run against him... It would take 7 people to fill out a form: 1 person that will not touch anything but the pen, 1 person that handles the paper exclusively, 1 person to transfer the paper & the pen, 1 person to actually put ink on the paper, and 3 others collecting paychecks to stay at home watching TV.
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MJ 12:07PM (6/15/2006)
Nice bashing, what a bunch of petty people we have on the blog, kick them while their down seems to be the motto?
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doug 12:15PM (6/15/2006)
Shawn, you forgot the shop steward to complain to management that the form was too long.
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THE REAL YOUR MOM 12:22PM (6/15/2006)
HEY #1 SYOP USING MY NAME
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GhostDoggy 12:30PM (6/15/2006)
Curious, how much union money does this UAW head expect to lose over the next decade as the Big Three move operations to foreign soils? How would he answer his union-paying members on their job insecurities?
UAW should disban, because their jobs are on days numbered.
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gbh 1:01PM (6/15/2006)
I would have to agree with Doug, he will not be seen as mythically heroic, like Hoffa. Though he may end up the same way.
Shawn, you must be one of those slave-driving efficiency experts. Only seven guys to fill out one form? Whaddya trying to do, work them to death?
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Imfreak 1:52PM (6/15/2006)
You know, I love reading automotive based stories. However, I am afraid I have to search for another blog. The negativity here is just uninspiring. All coming from people who have probably never performed back breaking work. Having worked with Ron, all I can say is why doesn't everyone who likes to b*tch and moan on here go start their own company? Hire their own emlpoyees as well. Preferably on another planet. That way you wouldn't have any unions to complain about. Oh but wait, I am sure since most of you do nothing but complain....there will always be that whine in the distance. Barring the speed of light I think it is the only universal constant. Sad...
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Aki 1:58PM (6/15/2006)
Shawn: lol, that was hilarious. I think it's slightly inaccurate though:
It would take 7 people to fill out a form: 1 person to place the paper on the table, 1 person to fill it in, 1 to turn it in, 1 who acts as HR and makes sure the first 3 haven't been subjected to discrimination, grueling work hours or excessive haranguing from management. 2 who sit at home on paid sick leave, 1 taking an indefinite league of absence while on a drub rehab program paid for by the company.
Where I live, our lovely union-operated public transit system has 25% of the work force *out* at any given time. Oh, and I wasn't joking about paid drug rehab--they pay for the first *two* times you get caught positive for drugs. And these guys drive buses. And get paid $60k. Yes, let us all praise the bastion of justice that the unions are.
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iQuack 2:29PM (6/15/2006)
The UAW's efforts to slowly kill their host companies will eventually kill them, too.
The scariest unions are public employee's unions like the teachers unions that are trying to do to public education what the UAW as done to GM and Ford.
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robert duvall 9:36PM (10/18/2008)
Why dont the uaw ask the president to loan them money to buy chrysler? They are throwing 700 billion in the wind why not help the people to save jobs and boost the economy???
Aki 2:47PM (6/15/2006)
"All coming from people who have probably never performed back breaking work. Having worked with Ron, all I can say is why doesn't everyone who likes to b*tch and moan on here go start their own company?"
You have it completely flipped around.
The irony is, unions moan the most--that's why they have their endless string of demands. Better pay. Better pension. Better healthcare. It's non-union people that suck it up and put in the 40-60 hr work weeks, whereas the unions think they deserve to be treated as royalty.
Why do you think the UAW gets flack? Is it because they work too hard and not demand enough? No, it's because they have $100+ billion in healthcare assets yet still insist they're getting the short end of the stick. It's because they somehow think they deserve more when there are happy non-union workers in the auto industry.
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Shawn 3:16PM (6/15/2006)
Imfreak, at any moment during the work day, you can count on the union labor force to be on their 45 minute bathroom breaks, 30 minute cigarette breaks, social breaks, or standing-around breaks. The only thing they don't break is their backs. That is why the companies they work for are broke.
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Dave J 4:59PM (6/15/2006)
It's no surprise the UAW, teacher's unions and I'm sure many other unions send big fat donation checks to the democratic political party. To protect their overbearing and unrealistic interests!
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Raoul Duke 11:59PM (6/15/2006)
#2 As if it was the UAWs sole fault
#5 Unlike you who sits on his duff in front of a computer
#13 How do you know. Ever have a union job. Ever had a job period.
#16 As opposed to big business who send their checks to the GOP.To protect their overbearing and unrealistic interests to the tune of 75-80 billion in corperate welfare.
I wonder how many posters here ever worked a real job. the silence is deafning
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Ray Daniels 1:31AM (6/16/2006)
Define a "real job" and don't tell me about some $50/hr job screwing cars together. I have little sympathy for overpaid/underworked union employees. Be it a teacher who only works 9 months out of the year, but complains that their salary isn't competitve with people who work 12 months at 60-80 hrs a week or the union janitors cleaning airplanes making $65k a year. It's just sad to hear the typical CIO-AFL/UAW/Teacher union entitlement mentality.
Do you think the unions are really looking out for your best interests as a union employee? Why are they trying to financially ruin all union shops?
Truth is unions and most democrats are just trying to push the oppressive socialist system that makes everyone dependant on either the govermnet or their union. "Don't bother thinking, we'll do it for you" that's the motto!
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Daisy Duke 1:34AM (6/16/2006)
#17 - You must be union and probably a democrat?
That figures!
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