DETROIT — Ron Gettelfinger, the retired UAW president who helped steer the Detroit 3 through the Great Recession, on Tuesday denied allegations by General Motors that he received bribes through offshore bank accounts, calling the claim “malicious and utterly baseless.”
Gettlefinger, who has avoided virtually all media interview requests since retiring in 2010, blasted the automaker in an open letter published through the UAW.
“I want to be unequivocally clear: I have never had control over any financial account in any foreign country, nor has any member of my family,” he wrote. “Further, neither I nor any member of my family have ever received one cent from a foreign account like GM claimed. Never.”
GM on Monday filed a motion for reconsideration of its racketeering case against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, now alleging that FCA and co-conspirators, including Gettlefinger, are guilty of “corporate espionage” that directly harmed GM. The suit alleges that Gettelfinger received payouts from FCA through offshore accounts in Panama and Switzerland in his name and the name of a family member.
It was the first time Gettelfinger has been implicated in any cases involving UAW corruption.
“You can bet this is personal for me,” Gettelfinger wrote. “I may be retired but I am not dead. GM has deep pockets for sure, but I will put my integrity up against theirs any day of the week. I retired after 45 1/2 years of work in the auto industry and in our union. I pride myself on honesty and integrity and I will not sit idly by while GM maliciously and falsely attacks me.”
In response to Gettelfinger’s letter, spokesman Jim Cain said, “GM stands by its filing.”
During his time as UAW president from 2002 to 2010, Gettelfinger was known as a no-nonsense leader.
He started as a chassis-line repairman at Ford’s Louisville, Ky., assembly plant in 1964 and, after earning an accounting degree, worked his way up through local and regional UAW positions before being elected president.
During the financial crisis and Great Recession, he worked behind the scenes in Washington to persuade then-President Barack Obama’s auto task force to support a bailout. He also led negotiations of concessionary contracts that ultimately helped the Detroit 3 automakers survive the downturn.
He was named an Automotive News All-Star for three consecutive years.
In his letter, Gettelfinger expressed support for the union.
“Of course, all of us in the UAW are sickened by the corrupt actions of some of our former leadership — none of whom remain in the UAW, and against whom the current UAW leadership has taken strong action,” he said.
“However, I find comfort in knowing that the overwhelming majority of our UAW IEB members, staff, clerical, maintenance and security employees are working hard every day for our membership. They won’t be deterred!”
