DEARBORN, Mich. — The United Auto Workers has nominated a long-time unio organizer as its next president.

Dennis Williams has been the UAWs secretary-treasurer for the last three years. Williams, a Marine Corps veteran, joined the unio in 1977 as a welder with J.I. Case in Rock Island, Ill. He joined the unios national organizing department in 1988 and has negotiated contracts with Mitsubishi, Caterpillar and other companies.

The UAWs leadership nominated Williams unanimously at a meeting near Detroit on Thursday.

UAW members will elect a new president at the unios national convention in Detroit in June. Other candidates may choose to run, but no one has ever become president of the UAW without the leaderships endorsement.

The unios current president, Bob King, is retiring after one four-year term.

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King said Williams was an integral part of bargaining with the Detroit automakers in 2011. He also noted that Williams was the first UAW leader to endorse Barack Obamas presidential bid and maintains a good relationship with the president.

Williams said Thursday he was humbled by the nomination.

I love this unio, I love what it stands for, Williams said. I still love the smell of the plant coffee and the smoke in the factory and walking up to the UAW member and saying brother or sister.'

If elected, Williams would inherit a unio that is growing again as General Motors, Ford and Chrysler return to profitability after the recession. The UAWs membership rose less than 1 per cent to 382,513 last year, its highest level since 2008. But thats still a fraction of the 1.5 million members it had at its peak in 1979.

The unio remains focused on organizing the U.S. factories of foreign automakers including Volkswagen and Nissan, Williams said.

He wouldnt say what the unio will focus on in its 2015 negotiations with the Detroit automakers, but he said he wants the companies to remain competitive. The unio has raised the ire of some workers for supporting lower wages for new hires and more flexible work rules that save the companies money.

Im not afraid of confrontation, but I think the best way to handle dealing with corporations or anybody in life is that you sit down and you talk, he said.

The unios leaders nominated Gary Casteel, a regional director, to replac Williams as secretary-treasurer. Another regional director, Norwood Jewell, was nominated for vice-president to replac Joe Ashton and General Holiefield, who are retiring. Incumbent vice-presidents Jimmy Settles, and Cindy Estrada were nominated to retain their positions.