Strike started at Tesla in Sweden

In total, approximately 130 employees in seven locations are affected, according to the union.

– It will be noticeable on Friday morning when the workshops open, says Jesper Pettersson, press officer at IF Metall.

The demand from the union is that the company should sign a collective agreement, which would give the workshop staff the same conditions as their colleagues in the industry.

However, Tesla refuses to sign a collective agreement, according to IF Metall, on the grounds that the company does not do so anywhere in the world.

May affect Tesla owners

Tesla Sweden’s communications manager Maria Lantz has chosen not to provide any comments to TT.

Not everyone who works at the striked service facilities is part of the union. IF Metall does not want to say how many members it has, other than that “there are many” and that several have been added in recent days.

If the union succeeds in its blockade, it will be difficult for Tesla owners to get their car serviced and or repaired, even if there are more workshops that work with Teslas.

The strike may be extended

But it could be worse. Owners of new cars may find it difficult to collect them.

Indeed, IF Metall has extended its strike notice to also apply to another 20 workshops from Friday 3 November. Then the work with Tesla cars in particular is blocked. And also tasks with completing the work of registering a brand new Tesla car.

No new negotiations between the parties are planned.

– As recently as Tuesday when we had our last meeting with Tesla, they made it clear that they intend not to sign a collective agreement with us, says Jesper Pettersson at IF Metall.

How long will the industrial action last?

– Until we get a collective agreement in place.

Karl-Henrik Rosberg, ombudsman for IF Metall, hopes that Tesla will introduce collective agreements. He says so in an interview on 17 October.

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