Crain's 2007 Newsmaker of the Year Ron Gettelfinger Speaks at Annual Luncheon

Crain's Detroit Business Honors UAW Chief for historic labor agreement

DETROIT, Feb. 11 -- The United Auto Workers Union and its president, Ron Gettelfinger, will be honored Thursday, Feb. 14, as the 2007 Crain's Detroit Business Newsmaker of the Year. Gettelfinger will address more than 500 people at the annual Newsmaker luncheon at noon at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn.

Gettelfinger is credited for his leadership that led to landmark labor agreements with the Detroit 3 that will result in historic new health-care plans for union workers. Gettelfinger said he expects the savings from the new UAW contracts with the Detroit 3 to go back into investments in U.S. plants. Concessions granted by the union to the automakers last fall could, when fully implemented, save an estimated $1,000 per vehicle.

In the agreements, the UAW will assume responsibility for retiree health care through the creation of three Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Associations (VEBA) that will be initially funded by the Detroit 3.

"The stakes in these talks were very high," said Crain's Publisher Mary Kramer. "Mr. Gettelfinger and his negotiating team created savings for the auto makers that will make the companies more competitive, preserving more union jobs for the long term. And you can bet that other companies will be watching how the UAW handles the new VEBA plans. This could be a national precedent. The opportunity that the union ratification created for Detroit's beleaguered automakers make Mr. Gettelfinger a natural choice for our 2007 Newsmaker of the Year."

The Feb. 14 luncheon begins with a VIP reception at 11:30 a.m. in the Regency Ballroom.

Crain's Detroit Business is metro Detroit's leading business publication. First published in 1985, Crain's Detroit Business is the only local weekly business publication providing late-breaking news covering industries such as real estate, manufacturing, technology, health care and financial services. Published weekly for upper-level executives and business owners, it includes award winning coverage, industry rankings and "who's who" listings.