Leonard Woodcock
Encyclopedia
Leonard Freel Woodcock was an American labor union leader and diplomat.
He was the president of the United Automobile Workers (UAW) from 1970 to 1977 and the first US ambassador to the People's Republic of China.
in 1911, the son of machinist Ernest Woodcock and Mary Freel.
Amid the pressures of the Great Depression, Woodcock dropped out of Detroit City College in 1933 and found work as a machine assembler. Both he and his father became involved in the union movement. Working his way up the ranks in Michigan, he became International Vice President in 1955, a post he held until 1970, when he succeeded Walter Reuther as UAW president after Reuther's tragic death in a plane crash. Woodcock was an active participant in the civil rights movement and was a champion of both minority and women's rights, including introducing the first union-wide contracted maternity leave in the US.
It was during his time at the helm of the UAW that Woodcock appeared on Nixon's enemies list
at #9, with the annotation "No comments necessary."
In 1977 Woodcock retired from the union and was named head of the United States Liaison Office in Beijing
(which served as the de facto U.S. embassy in the People's Republic of China
in the absence of full diplomatic relations) by U.S. President Jimmy Carter
. He also led a special delegation to Laos and Vietnam in search of POW and MIA American soldiers.
After leading negotiations to establish of full diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in 1979, Woodcock was appointed the first United States ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, and the first ambassador to mainland China since 1949, when Leighton Stuart served as ambassador to the Republic of China
.
Though some questioned appointing a labor leader to head such a delicate a diplomatic mission, Carter insisted that he needed a negotiator. A Doonsbury cartoon at the time has a character saying, ‘If he can take on the Big Three, he can handle the Gang of Four’.
In a 2000 speech at the White House to celebrate 20 years of Most Favored Nation status, former President Carter said of the time:
'One of the choices I had to make was whom to send to China to begin the secret negotiations with Deng Xiaoping; he was the unquestioned ruler of the nation. And I chose a man who was the senior statesman of the American labor movement, Leonard Woodcock -- respected by, I guess, every working man and woman who was a member of a union or not in this country, and he was also respected by all those who had dealt with him from the management side. And he was my personal representative in Beijing.
Leonard Woodcock, working directly with me from the White House, negotiated successfully the terms for normalization of diplomatic relations. And on the first day of January, 1979, when we formed those relationships. That year, Leonard Woodcock, still highly conversant with, and whose heart was attuned, to the labor movement of America, negotiated the first trade agreement, Most Favored Nations agreement, with China, in 1979. And now for 20 years, each year the Congress has confirmed his decision, and mine.' [1]
In 1941, Woodcock married Loula Martin, with whom he had three children. Woodcock remarried in 1978, to Sharon Tuohy, a nurse working with the American delegation in China. He later taught Political Science at the University of Michigan, living in Ann Arbor with his wife Sharon until his death on January 16, 2001.
Woodcock had three children, Leslie Woodcock Tentler (Professor of History), Janet Woodcock (photographer) and John Woodcock (ret. Maj General, USAF); a son-in-law and two daughters-in-law (Thomas Tentler, Professor of History, married to Leslie; Carol Collins, framer, partner of Janet; and Susan, married to John); three grandchildren (Sarah Tentler, speechwriter and political advisor; Gregory Tentler, art historian; and Daniel Tentler, lawyer); and a godson, Daniel Miller.
He was the president of the United Automobile Workers (UAW) from 1970 to 1977 and the first US ambassador to the People's Republic of China.
Biography
Woodcock was born in Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
in 1911, the son of machinist Ernest Woodcock and Mary Freel.
Amid the pressures of the Great Depression, Woodcock dropped out of Detroit City College in 1933 and found work as a machine assembler. Both he and his father became involved in the union movement. Working his way up the ranks in Michigan, he became International Vice President in 1955, a post he held until 1970, when he succeeded Walter Reuther as UAW president after Reuther's tragic death in a plane crash. Woodcock was an active participant in the civil rights movement and was a champion of both minority and women's rights, including introducing the first union-wide contracted maternity leave in the US.
It was during his time at the helm of the UAW that Woodcock appeared on Nixon's enemies list
Nixon's Enemies List
Nixon’s Enemies List is the informal name of what started as a list of President of the United States Richard Nixon’s major political opponents compiled by Charles Colson, written by George T. Bell , and sent in memorandum form to John Dean on September 9, 1971...
at #9, with the annotation "No comments necessary."
In 1977 Woodcock retired from the union and was named head of the United States Liaison Office in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
(which served as the de facto U.S. embassy in the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
in the absence of full diplomatic relations) by U.S. President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
. He also led a special delegation to Laos and Vietnam in search of POW and MIA American soldiers.
After leading negotiations to establish of full diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in 1979, Woodcock was appointed the first United States ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, and the first ambassador to mainland China since 1949, when Leighton Stuart served as ambassador to the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
.
Though some questioned appointing a labor leader to head such a delicate a diplomatic mission, Carter insisted that he needed a negotiator. A Doonsbury cartoon at the time has a character saying, ‘If he can take on the Big Three, he can handle the Gang of Four’.
In a 2000 speech at the White House to celebrate 20 years of Most Favored Nation status, former President Carter said of the time:
'One of the choices I had to make was whom to send to China to begin the secret negotiations with Deng Xiaoping; he was the unquestioned ruler of the nation. And I chose a man who was the senior statesman of the American labor movement, Leonard Woodcock -- respected by, I guess, every working man and woman who was a member of a union or not in this country, and he was also respected by all those who had dealt with him from the management side. And he was my personal representative in Beijing.
Leonard Woodcock, working directly with me from the White House, negotiated successfully the terms for normalization of diplomatic relations. And on the first day of January, 1979, when we formed those relationships. That year, Leonard Woodcock, still highly conversant with, and whose heart was attuned, to the labor movement of America, negotiated the first trade agreement, Most Favored Nations agreement, with China, in 1979. And now for 20 years, each year the Congress has confirmed his decision, and mine.' [1]
In 1941, Woodcock married Loula Martin, with whom he had three children. Woodcock remarried in 1978, to Sharon Tuohy, a nurse working with the American delegation in China. He later taught Political Science at the University of Michigan, living in Ann Arbor with his wife Sharon until his death on January 16, 2001.
Woodcock had three children, Leslie Woodcock Tentler (Professor of History), Janet Woodcock (photographer) and John Woodcock (ret. Maj General, USAF); a son-in-law and two daughters-in-law (Thomas Tentler, Professor of History, married to Leslie; Carol Collins, framer, partner of Janet; and Susan, married to John); three grandchildren (Sarah Tentler, speechwriter and political advisor; Gregory Tentler, art historian; and Daniel Tentler, lawyer); and a godson, Daniel Miller.