Keep Going: Lessons from the UAW Frontlines

Many UAW members will recognize that reforming the union, organizing a union in their workplace, or strengthening their power against the boss is a long-term process — and not a straightforward path. Consider that it took decades to win “one member, one vote” elections for our top UAW officers. Or more than 12 years to win a union and a first contract at Volkswagen. 

A new book from Labor Notes, Keep Going: A Guide to Organizing When It’s Hard, has helpful advice for UAW members and other labor activists looking to strengthen our unions and take on the boss. The author, Ellen David Friedman, is a veteran union organizer now based in Ithaca, New York, where she helped members of UAW Local 2300 prepare with their coworkers on Cornell University’s dining and maintenance staff to strike in 2024.

Through interviews with rank-and-file organizers, including UAW Member Action Chair Scott Houldieson and UAW Volkswagen leader Yolanda Peoples, the book shows how workers overcome setbacks and use those lessons to win future campaigns. 

Scott Houldieson: “Stay Grounded in Reality”

Over his 36 years at the Chicago Ford assembly plant, Scott has held multiple union positions in UAW Local 551. As Chair of UAW Member Action, he helps members grow into organizers and work together to make change in our union and on the job. 

"Even if I wasn't elected, I always go to meetings, listen to reports, watch the executive officers.”

Scott’s story shows us how organizers assess what is possible and pay attention to how it changes over time. “For most of his career, Scott Houldieson wisely assessed that he could make the most headway by focusing his organizing energies on the local level.” However, when the 2019 UAW corruption scandal created a rare opening, “he seized the chance to build an ambitious campaign to change the UAW International.

A good organizer’s story may take many turns, like Scott’s has — from running for office in his local, to uniting members across the country behind “one member, one vote” elections, to refocusing once reformers took power on preparing his plant for the Stand Up Strike.

Yolanda Peoples: “Reflect on Power”

At the Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant, Yolanda Peoples saw firsthand how hard organizing can be. Workers lost two union drives before finally winning in 2024. Those early defeats were painful, but they became crucial lessons for the successful campaign.

“It was painful to see management exploit workers’ trust with empty promises…But in the long run it helped, because we knew it was something they could not try again.”

Yolanda and her co-workers recently won a first contract at Volkswagen including 20 percent raises, lower healthcare costs, and job security guarantees. Yolanda emphasized building personal connections with coworkers, making it her mission to reach out to at least one new person each week. These conversations built trust and strengthened the campaign from the ground up.

Even if we don’t initially win what we set out to, a campaign can help us shift the balance of power and pave the way for future victories, like at Volkswagen. Yolanda’s story shows that great organizers look out for those shifts and adjust their strategy to make the most of them.

Get the Book

Keep Going is a must-read for anyone who wants to build a stronger union and push forward when the going gets tough. Grab your copy in our store.