Plant-level trade unions in the automotive industry operate in a newly configured, highly volatile, crisis environment in Hungary. Besides insecurities stemming from market demand for production, the employment of non-local workers additionally increases the burden on organising work. Trade unions are not fully aware of the new environment: they need to reconsider their core values and adopt new organising strategies, and more apt practices in their operations. Employment of non-local workers and members of more vulnerable groups indirectly increases the pressure against labour standards and wage levels. In order to maintain labour standards, trade unions need to define (preventive) mechanisms of protection but also consider interest representation of different social groups. Plant-level trade unions operate with very limited organisational capacities. Small constructive steps, especially if repeated, can, however, make big differences. Experiments in new practices, e.g. focus on better information collection and circulation, launching information sessions and training activities as well as learning from concrete international experiences can help unions on this road