VW WANTED the union to win, actually.
I doubt that the owners of VW wanted the UAW to win. The executives maybe did because it would have made their life back home easier. The German union definitely wanted a win for their solidarity in the union movement principle. “Fraternally Yours” on all union writings is part of the pitch.
The German “Mitbestimmung” laws make union participation on the boards of big companies mandatory, so the union sits on the VW supervisory board.
Saying VW wanted a win is not so simple. Parts did and parts didn’t. Thankfully the workers didn’t, even with a lot of pressure. I say,having won and lost union elections,to get a no-union vote without aggressive company action is remarkable.