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UAW Mourns The Passing of Retired UAW Vice-President Nate Gooden

Retired UAW Vice-President Nate Goodin passed away Monday, November 06, 2006 following a short illness. He was 68 years old and lived in Southfield, Michigan.

Gooden became a member of UAW Local 140 in 1964, when he was hired on the chassis assembly line at Chrysler's Warren Truck Assembly plant. He was elected by his co-workers to serve as chief steward in 1967, and he was elected president of his local union in 1975.
Gooden was appointed as an international representative on the staff of UAW Region 1 in 1977, by then-Director Stephen P. Yokich. He was elected director of Region 1 in 1998, and elected vice president by the UAW International Executive Board following the death of Vice President Jack Laskowski in 1999. He was re-elected to his post by delegates to the UAW Constitutional Convention in 2002.

As vice president, Gooden served as director of the UAW-DaimlerChrysler Department and the UAW Heavy Truck Department. In June 2002 he was nominated as the UAW's representative to the Supervisory Board of DaimlerChrysler, which is required by German law to include union representatives as part of the company's management structure.
In addition to leading UAW negotiations with DaimlerChrysler, Gooden also negotiated a partnership agreement with Freightliner, a DaimlerChrysler subsidiary, which guaranteed workers a free choice about union representation. Under terms of the agreement, thousands of workers at Freightliner's truck and bus plants, parts depots and pre-delivery inspection facilities in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee have elected to become part of the UAW.

The UAW organizing campaign at Freightliner, made possible by Gooden's innovative leadership, is the largest successful organizing campaign in the manufacturing sector in recent U.S. history.

"Our entire union mourns the passing of a dedicated trade unionist, who served our union with distinction for more than four decades," said UAW President Ron Gettelfinger. "Nate represented workers at the highest levels of corporate and political decision-making, but he always kept his focus on the needs of UAW members and their families."

Vice-President Gooden’s work at Freightliner made him a frequent visitor to Region 8. "Nate was basically a good guy," states Region 8 Director Gary Casteel who worked with Gooden on the drives at Freightliner. "He cared about people. He was a friendly guy and was never arrogant. Nate tried to do the best for the people he represented. That was really his trademark and if he ever told you he was going to do something, he followed through and did it."

Nate Gooden leaves behind two sons and two daughters. The entire membership of the UAW and especially the workers in Region 8 who were touched by his efforts extend our thoughts and prayers to his family.