Gettelfinger Interview: Part 2

Synopsis

Autoline Detroit is best known as a great forum for discussing industry issues with the “captains of industry.” But now it’s time for labor’s viewpoint.

On his first-ever visit to Autoline Detroit, Ron Gettelfinger, president of the UAW discusses the topics which are front and center in this year’s contract negotiations. Articulate and persuasive he speaks with a controlled passion about the need to protect the standard of living of working class people, and of the need to protect the manufacturing base of the United States. Indeed, this wide-ranging discussion goes well beyond the labor contract and gets into the UAW’s views of the future of the auto industry as well as the kind of legislation it wants to see enacted.

With contract negotiations starting in a matter of weeks, this is probably the last chance to publicly hear the UAW president speak so openly about the issues facing his union, until the contract is signed later this fall.

Joining John McElroy on the panel are Joseph White, Detroit Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal, and David Kiley, senior correspondent of BusinessWeek.