Tesla dispute becomes longest strike in modern Swedish history

During the talks Tesla's opposition to collective agreements remained firm. IF Metall believes that the Swedish management currently lacks the mandate to sign a collective agreement or to make any agreements involving trade unions.

"IF Metall's clear goal is, of course, for collective agreements to apply across the entire Swedish labor market - including at Tesla. That goal remains unchanged and the long-running conflict continues with increased intensity,"

says IF Metall, and IndustriaLL, president Marie Nilsson.

According to IF Metall, it was clear during the talks that Tesla is not even willing to consider making changes to conditions that would reflect the basic elements of Swedish collective agreements. These include:

• annual wage increases in line with the so-called benchmark
• reduced working hours, as other car workshop employees have under collective agreements
• pension solutions that match those included in collective agreements

A number of other unions in Sweden have joined what is called sympathy strikes. After talks with the National Mediation Office ended, the union organizing electricians, Elektrikerna, are ramping up their blockade to include all work their members do that is connected to Tesla.

Says IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie:

"Tesla's total disrespect for the Swedish labour market and their own workers is astonishing. Collective bargaining is a fundamental workers' right and one of the foundations on which the Swedish labour market is built. We repeat our message that IndustriALL's 50 million members around the world stand in solidarity with the striking workers in Sweden."