Before he was fired, Chris Tibbs had worked as an aircraft mechanic for DynCorp International at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in southern Maryland for 17 years. His yearly evaluations invariably were good and the last assessment he received before being terminated recognized him as a "distinguished employee."

Tibbs and his co-workers wanted a union so they could bargain for improved wages. Over the past 10 years, workers at the base in the DynCorp International unit have seen their wages stagnate while health care and the overall cost of living has skyrocketed. Tibbs and some of his co-workers have gone as long as six years without a pay raise or cost of living increase. At one point, Tibbs says he worked four years without a wage increase despite positive performance reviews year after year. A single parent seeking to provide a better life for himself and his daughter, in 2005 Chris began reaching out to his co-workers about forming a union to bargain for improved wages and working conditions.

DynCorp International responded to the workers’ organizing efforts by holding intimidating one-on-one and group meetings against the union. According to Tibbs, management continually sent mass e-mail messages and bombarded workers with mountains of literature containing misleading information about the union.

At the start of the campaign, 64 percent of the workers signed authorization cards, stating their desire for the Machinists to represent them in collective bargaining. After dozens of anti-union meetings with management, the workers lost their election for a union by six votes.

Frustrated with management’s manipulation of information, Tibbs helped launch a website so DynCorp International employees could share their workplace concerns with one another. The website was widely popular among DynCorp's 700-plus employees, providing them with an effective format for communication without fear of employer retaliation. The following year, workers at DynCorp International resumed their efforts to form a union. Once again, Tibbs was at the forefront.

On April 12, 2007, employees of DynCorp International at the Patuxent Naval Air Station won their union and became official members of the IAM.

For Tibbs, however, the victory was bittersweet. Days before the second union election in 2007, he was fired. He filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board, but his case was dismissed. He has filed an appeal. Tibbs explains that during his time of service with DynCorp International, he was recognized as a valuable asset at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS). DynCorp International has celebrated his outstanding service through certificates and awards. His work history, in the words of his site supervisor Randy Hughes, "is exemplary." The U.S. Navy also has recognized his achievements. Commanding officers of both USNTPS and other commands at Patuxent River have presented him with letters of appreciation on multiple occasions.