Ronald A. Gettelfinger (born August 1, 1944) was an American labor leader who retired. He served as president of the United Auto Workers from 2002 to 2010.

Early career and education

Gettelfinger began his work with a union in 1964 in Louisville, Kentucky, at the Louisville Assembly Plant operated by Ford Motor Company. He worked there as a repair worker on the chassis line. He graduated from Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, Indiana, in 1976.

The workers at Ford's Louisville Assembly Plant chose Gettelfinger to represent them as a committeeperson, negotiation leader, and president. He was elected president of Local Union 862 in 1984. In 1987, he joined the Ford-UAW bargaining committee.

Later, he held other roles, including director of UAW Region 3 and leader of the UAW chaplaincy program. He served as the elected director of UAW Region 3, which represents UAW members in Indiana and Kentucky, for six years. In 1998, he was elected a UAW vice president.

UAW presidency

Gettelfinger was chosen for his first term as president of the UAW at the 33rd Convention in 2002. He was selected for a second term on June 14, 2006, during the UAW's 34th Convention in Las Vegas. On March 19, 2009, Gettelfinger said he would retire after his term ended and would not seek re-election in 2010.

Gettelfinger strongly supports national single-payer health care in the United States. During his leadership, the UAW worked to create fair trade agreements that included rules protecting workers and the environment. The union also criticized what it called "the corporate global chase for the lowest wage," which it believed harmed workers worldwide. Gettelfinger opposed any new worker concessions until the current contract ended in 2011.

Gettelfinger was an elector for Barack Obama in 2008.

Personal life and public image

In 2010, Gettelfinger was considered one of the most important people in the auto industry. He was called "the chaplain" because he did not drink alcohol or smoke.