Some good news today regarding the UAW’s effort to appeal a humiliating defeat. The Wall Street Journal reports, “The United Auto Workers union, in a surprise move, has given up a fight to force a new unionization vote by workers at a Volkswagen AG plant in Tennessee, a retreat that leaves the organization with an uncertain future. The UAW was scheduled to appear before the National Labor Relations Board in Chattanooga Monday to plead for a new election, but shortly before the 9 a.m. start NLRB administrative law judge Melissa Olivero announced the UAW had dropped its appeal and the hearing was canceled.” The big question is, why? The plant’s anticipated expansion may hold the key. “UAW President Bob King said the union is ready to ‘put February’s tainted election in the rearview mirror.’ He said the UAW now wants to ‘focus on advocating for new jobs and economic investment in Chattanooga’ – a reference to a likely plan by Volkswagen to expand the plant to make a new sport-utility vehicle.” In other words, they’re gearing up for round two. But for now, (most) workers can rejoice.