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Friday, October 30, 2026Oct 30

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Cook: Equal pay, equal work

photo David Cook

The tiniest of revolutions is unfolding among union workers on the Volkswagen factory floor, as a handful of workers has formed a democratic caucus – sort of like a mini-union – within the United Auto Workers Local 42.

They call themselves the Volkswagen Workers for Solidarity, or VWS, and their vision and rhetoric about labor and workers – “we are the power that drives it all” – seems bold, unapologetic and just.

Like a union should.

Today, elections are being held for leadership positions at Local 42, and VWS has three candidates – Jarret Mitchell, Colby Curry, Anthony Goforth – on the ballot, and they’re pushing for reforms that UAW should have been pushing for all along.

“Equal pay for equal work,” said Byron Spencer, a VWS founding member.