The leadership of the United Auto Workers will meet this week to name Bob King to replace President Ron Gettelfinger, who is retiring, according to a report by Automotive News.

King, who has served the union as head of negotiations with Ford, would be slated as the preferred candidate by an administrative caucus scheduled to convene on Wednesday, December 16.

King, now a union vice president, has been considered as the likely successor to Gettelfinger, 65, for some time. Gettelfinger will step down in 2010. The appointment would have to go before the UAW convention for a vote in June 2010, but traditionally the preferred candidate is elected without opposition.

Ford, a supporter of Gettelfinger's policies, is not expected to bring significant chance to the union. Gettelfinger has served two terms as UAW president and grappled with declining membership and wage and benefit rollbacks. Under his leadership, however, the UAW did emerge as a major investor in both Chrylser and General Motors when both went through federally funded bankruptcy proceedings.

Currently the UAW owns 17.5 percent of General motors and 55 percent of Chrysler. The ownership is vested in a trust fund to ensure health care benefits for retirees.