Many years ago, Volkswagen painted itself into a corner by promising its workers in Germany that once they started working for the company, they would always have a job. At the time, other automakers, especially in the United States, routinely laid off their workers for weeks, months, or longer as the demand for new cars fluctuated. The “we’re all one big family” pledge has become a bedrock principle in the relationship between Volkswagen and the people who build its cars and trucks. It didn’t