Over 120 Tesla mechanics in Sweden have commenced strike action after the company refused to agree to union recognition and collective bargaining. It is expected that sales staff who are members of the Unionen union will strike this coming week.
The IF Metall union said : “Over a long period of time, (one year) we have attempted to discuss with Tesla the signing of a collective agreement, yet without success. Now we see no solution other than to take industrial action. We want our members at Tesla to have the same decent and safe working conditions as the members at other similar companies in Sweden.”
“Even though we have taken industrial action, it is our sincere hope that Tesla will finally start negotiating and sign a collective agreement for their plants in Sweden. Tesla is a global leader in the green transition. We hope that they will be willing to express the same level of leadership regarding working conditions for their employees and our members. We strive for and look forward to a swift solution.”
The Swedish transport workers union whose members are involved in the transportation and unloading of vehicles at Sweden’s docks and harbours have issued a warning there will take secondary action with vessels carrying Tesla vehicles will remain unloaded.
Negotiations with Tesla with official mediators present broke up when company representatives told the union and mediators they did not have authority to sign an agreement, as the decision had to be be made at the highest level in California.
IF Metall President Marie Nilsson
IF President Marie Nilsson said: “We have had no success in our efforts and are now left with no option other than to strike.”
Tesla is notoriously anti union. The company with 120,000 employees have threatened workers with ‘retaliation’ if they form a union and seek a collective agreement.
Atle Hoie the General Secretary of IndustriALL Global Union said: ‘Elon Musk’s business model is to avoid respecting human rights. We must defeat the Tesla business model and Sweden is the best place to start.’
