Ray Curry is taking over leadership of the United Auto Workers at a critical juncture in the union’s history.
The UAW’s International Executive Board on Monday named Curry as union president, replacing Rory Gamble, who retires Wednesday.
Gamble led the 397,000-member union through a bribery and embezzlement scandal and the coronavirus pandemic, during which the union agreed to keep auto factories running with numerous safety precautions.
He was the union’s first Black president, and the 55-year-old Curry will be the second.
There are questions about safety protocols as the coronavirus pandemic wanes and about shortages of critical parts such as computer chips that have crimped auto production.