In a display of union democracy in action, delegates to the 35th United Auto Workers Constitutional Convention on June 16 overwhelmingly elected Bob King to succeed Ron Gettelfinger as president of the UAW.
King prevailed by 2,115.095 to 74,549 in a roll call vote against challenger Gary Walkowicz, 61, a Local 600 bargaining committee member at Ford Motor Company's Dearborn (Mich.) Truck Plant.
King, 63, has been a UAW vice president since 1998 and headed the UAW's National Ford Department since 2006. He played a major role in both the UAW Ford 2007 National Agreement and the 2009 modifications to the agreement.
Re-elected a vice president in 2002 and 2006, King’s leadership of the National Organizing Department assisted nearly 80,000 workers in their efforts to join the UAW. He pioneered the use of innovative neutrality and majority signup agreements with employers giving workers the right to join the UAW without interference from their employers.
Delegates also elected by acclamation UAW Region 4 director Dennis Williams to the post of secretary-treasurer. He succeeds retiring UAW secretary-treasurer Elizabeth Bunn.
Williams was elected director of UAW Region 4 at a special convention in 2001 and re-elected in 2002 and 2006 at the UAW Constitutional Conventions in Las Vegas. Region 4 includes Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Convention delegates re-elected by acclamation incumbent UAW vice presidents James Settles Jr. and General Holiefield, as well as new vice presidents Joe Ashton and Cindy Estrada. Ashton is director of UAW Region 9, which covers western and central New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Estrada is director of the union’s National Organizing Department. She becomes the union’s first Latina vice president.
Also by acclamation delegates elected UAW 863 president Phyllis Blust to serve a six-year term as an International trustee. She fills the position vacated by Tito Sanchez.
