Transport Workers Union Ceases Tesla Waste Collection Services in Sweden
On Wednesday, the Transport Workers Union in Sweden declared its decision to cease waste collection services at Tesla workshops in the country. This move is part of a broader trend among labor groups aiming to exert pressure on the electric car manufacturer to acknowledge and accept collective bargaining rights for its staff.
Tesla is currently facing resistance in the Nordic region from unions and certain pension funds due to its refusal to meet the demand of Swedish mechanics for collective bargaining that encompasses wages and other working conditions. In a display of solidarity, dockworkers, drivers, electricians, postal employees, and cleaners are joining the cause by refusing to provide services to Tesla.
Union President Emphasizes Rare Sympathy Actions
The President of the Swedish Transport Workers Union, Tommy Wreeth, emphasized the rarity of such sympathetic actions. He stated that these actions are taken to safeguard Swedish collective agreements and the integrity of the Swedish labor market model. Wreath emphasized that Tesla cannot disregard the established norms in the Swedish labor market.
The Transport Workers Union announced that a strike is scheduled to commence on December 24 unless Tesla agrees to sign a collective bargaining agreement with the Swedish union IF Metall.
In a legal setback for Tesla, a Swedish court of appeal overturned a ruling allowing the company to directly collect license plates from the manufacturer. The case has been sent back to a lower court for further examination. Tesla had sought this permission to bypass Swedish postal workers who were obstructing the delivery.
Tesla Claims Employee Terms Are Competitive
Tesla claims that its Swedish employees already enjoy terms equal to or better than those demanded by the union. The carmaker has not provided an immediate response to requests for comments.
Last week, Norway’s $1.5 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world’s largest stock market investor and the seventh-largest owner of Tesla, declared its intention to persist in urging the U.S. automaker to respect labor rights, including the recognition of collective bargaining.
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