Tesla cars in Sweden can be repaired at third-party service centers until the end of April. The Swedish union IF Metall, which has been on strike against the manufacturer for several months now, is temporarily lifting the ban.
The Swedish union has announced that some Tesla vehicles will be serviced in some repair shops. After months of ignoring consumer concerns, IF Metall has finally taken their needs into account. The strike against Tesla has been going on for almost four months, which is the longest in the country since World War II. During this time, some Tesla car owners were unable to use their cars, which were either in the workshop when the strike began or needed repairs after it began.
About 30 non-Tesla workshops will be allowed to repair some of the automaker’s vehicles through the end of April, according to BNN Bloomberg. During this time, from 100 to 200 cars will be repaired. IF Metall believes that the strike risks dragging on for a long time.
“Our measures are targeted at Tesla, but may also impact you as a Tesla owner,” IF Metall said in a statement. “So to help the Tesla owners hardest hit by the conflict, we now offer this temporary solution.”
In addition, the purpose of temporarily lifting the ban on servicing consumers who own Tesla cars is to generate income for workshops from work, according to IF Metall. At this point, it remains unclear whether this is an additional or primary purpose of such a move. The strike is very long, which is costly for the union and has reduced the income of workers who join it.
“It’s to ease the pressure on private customers who have no part in this conflict, and to make a little compensation to the workshops – many of whom have a collective agreement,” a spokesperson for IF Metall said.
The strike, which began in October, is being carried out under the pretext of so-called “sympathy” for Tesla employees working at the company’s service centers in Sweden. In fact, the strike was not widely supported by Tesla employees, according to data as of mid-December. The company has 10 service centers around the country, employing 130 employees. Members of the Tesla Club in Sweden visited and spoke with employees. According to the information collected, out of 130 Tesla employees, only 13 technical specialists joined the strike.
