Tesla's Swedish labor dispute pits anti-union Musk against Scandinavian worker ideals
ABC News
Tesla has found itself locked in an increasingly bitter dispute with union workers in Sweden and neighboring countries
Tesla has found itself locked in an increasingly bitter dispute with union workers in Sweden and neighboring countries. The showdown pits the electric car maker's CEO Elon Musk, who’s staunchly anti-union, against the strongly held labor ideals of Scandinavian countries.
None of Tesla's workers anywhere in the world are unionized, raising questions about whether strikes could spread to other parts of Europe where employees commonly have collective bargaining rights — notably in Germany, Tesla's most important market.
Here are key things to know about the union fight:
About 130 mechanics at 10 Tesla garages across Sweden walked off the job on Oct. 27 over the company's refusal to sign a collective bargaining agreement. Tesla doesn't have a factory in Sweden, but does have a network of service centers.
Since the mechanics with the powerful Swedish metalworkers’ union IF Metall went on strike, other workers around the country have joined in sympathy, withholding their services to pressure the company.
