Tesla employees at Giga Berlin are voicing their concerns over safety hazards and excessive workloads, leading to more than 1,000 workers joining the German labor union, IG Metall.
On Monday, over 1,000 Tesla employees from the electric car manufacturing plant in Gruenheide converged while sporting stickers emblazoned with the slogan “safe and fair work.” The factory, which employs approximately 12,000 workers, has seen an uptick in its workforce joining IG Metall, a labor union with significant influence across the automotive sector, including major players like Volkswagen AG.
One of the leading complaints voiced by Tesla workers pertains to poor working conditions and safety hazards, with some citing extreme workloads stemming from staff shortages and overly ambitious production targets. (via Bloomberg)
Despite the growing pressure, Tesla has refrained from entering into wage agreements that are considered standard in Europe’s largest economy. This stance places the electric car manufacturer in direct opposition to IG Metall, a union boasting 2.2 million members.
Dirk Schulze, an IG Metall district manager, emphasized, “No one in Germany needs to hide their union membership. The German Constitution gives all employees the right to organize in a union and to openly stand up for it in the workplace—this also applies at Tesla.”
In the US, the United Auto Workers (UAW) union has launched a major strike, targeting General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis, which has temporarily halted production at several factories. The fear gripping auto workers is that the transition to electric vehicles, with their reduced need for moving parts and human labor, could lead to job losses and decreased wages.
