United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger said he has no plans to run for a third term and will retire at age 65 next year.

"It is totally untrue and totally unfounded," Gettelfinger said during a radio interview in Detroit Thursday in response to a media report that he may consider running for a third term. He said he will retire next year, but offered no hint on who might take over the position.

Gettelfinger has been instrumental in guiding the UAW through one of the most chaotic times in the U.S. auto industry. He has attempted to protect worker wages and benefits while also working with the auto makers to cut costs.

This year alone he helped negotiate further changes to the union cost structure in order to help General Motors Corp (GM) and Chrysler LLC in their bid to win funding from the U.S. government to continue operating.

-By Jeff Bennett; jeff.bennett@dowjones.com; 248-204-5542