Richard Shoemaker, the 66-year-old United Auto Workers leader, announced last week he plans to retire in June after 36 years at the UAW, which oversees 950 local unions and has more than 1.2 million active and retired members. UAW leaders typically retire after they reach 65. Shoemaker has been at the center of the UAW's push to retain relatively high wage and benefit levels for U.S. workers in the midst of those global pressures.
See "Shoemaker Steps Down After 36 Years at UAW", Associated Press, The New York Times, December 13, 2005