Richard Frankensteen (March 6, 1907 – April 8, 1977) was an American labor union leader and politician who served as the first president of the "Automotive Industrial Workers Association" which merged into the United Auto Workers (UAW).

He was elected vice president of the UAW, where he played a major role until he was ousted in 1947 for his alleged communist ties.

In actuality, Frankensteen was a leader of the left wing coalition led by R. J. Thomas and George Addes.

After an intended career of teaching and high school football coaching in Ohio was crushed by the Great Depression, he returned home to Detroit to work full-time with Dodge, and studied law at night at the University of Detroit.

He left union activity and became a corporate consultant, but refused to work for anti-union clients.