Home HomeSwedenLivingWorld world_2_fill WorldBusiness BusinessSports sports-soccer SportsEntertainmentEntertain

Breakthrough - more strikes at Tesla

IF Metall has managed to attract more Tesla workers to its side in the prolonged strike. It's just over half of the employees who are now on strike, says LO union's agreement secretary Simon Petersson.

» Updated: 04 October 2024, 24:10

» Published: 23 August 2024

Breakthrough - more strikes at Tesla
Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT

In October, it has been a year since IF Metall launched its strike against electric car giant Tesla's operations in Sweden. Shortly afterwards, large parts of the LO family's unions joined in sympathy actions, all to disrupt Tesla's operations.

The union's demands: Collective agreement. Tesla says no. And that's where they still stand, in completely locked positions, and from the outside, very little has happened.

IF Metall has had a hard time getting a comprehensive strike going. Otherwise, the American car giant would have been forced to give in a long time ago. Many, a clear majority, of the employees have rejected the union and therefore worked as usual.

Turning point in the summer

But now things have started to turn.

During the summer, we've seen a large influx of new members at Tesla's various facilities in Sweden. And that's been very positive, says Simon Petersson.

According to him, the number has increased by 20 percent to now 50 members.

That means we've reached over 50 percent, says Simon Petersson.

That more people are laying down their work increases the pressure on Tesla, Simon Petersson is convinced, even though the company continues to fly in personnel from abroad, something the union calls strike-breaking.

This increase in the number of members means an even greater pressure on TM Sweden's (Tesla in Sweden) facilities. It's more people on strike. It's getting harder to operate, he says.

Hard to determine

But, as said, nothing has happened yet. Tesla is still managing to get cars into Sweden by truck since the harbors were blocked by the unions in Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark. It's hard to say whether the company's sales of new cars have been affected by the conflict. Tesla is maintaining its market share of electric cars in Sweden, on a market that has been generally declining over the past year.

Simon Petersson doesn't want to go into how much, how, and when he talks to TM Sweden's management to find a solution to the conflict. But it's not dead, he says.

In just over two months, the strike will have been going on for a year. Will you still be holding out then?

It's our hope that it won't. But then we'll have resolved these issues. But we're ready if it takes longer than a year.

How much is this costing Metall's strike fund?

We're just scraping the surface of it right now. So it's no problem at all, actually, says Simon Petersson.

IF Metall launched the strike against Tesla's service facilities in Sweden on October 27, 2023.

The union's demands are collective agreements for its members. Tesla says no.

Besides IF Metall's primary conflict, several other LO unions have launched sympathy strikes, which, among other things, mean that Transport and its sister organizations in neighboring countries have stopped all unloading of Tesla cars in harbors.

Pickup is blocked, service of charging stations and workshop equipment as well, as is the postal delivery of registration plates from the Transport Agency, to name a few of the industrial actions.

Tags
TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Major Banks Lower Mortgage Rates
1 MIN READ

Major Banks Lower Mortgage Rates

Major Banks Lower Mortgage Rates
1 MIN READ

Major Banks Lower Mortgage Rates

Trade Union Economist: The Central Bank Lowers Interest Rates Too Late
2 MIN READ

Trade Union Economist: The Central Bank Lowers Interest Rates Too Late

How You Are Affected by Lowered Interest Rates
2 MIN READ

How You Are Affected by Lowered Interest Rates

The Central Bank Lowers - but Uncertain After Trump's Victory
1 MIN READ

The Central Bank Lowers - but Uncertain After Trump's Victory

Inflation upswing does not threaten interest rate cuts
3 MIN READ

Inflation upswing does not threaten interest rate cuts

Stockholm Stock Exchange Rises at Opening
1 MIN READ

Stockholm Stock Exchange Rises at Opening

Most up on Asian stock exchanges
1 MIN READ

Most up on Asian stock exchanges

This is how your wallet can be affected by Trump's victory
2 MIN READ

This is how your wallet can be affected by Trump's victory

Cheerful on Wall Street after Trump win
1 MIN READ

Cheerful on Wall Street after Trump win

Thousand-kronor notes to be picked up when the Central Bank increases the pace
3 MIN READ

Thousand-kronor notes to be picked up when the Central Bank increases the pace

Swish up and running again after disruption
1 MIN READ

Swish up and running again after disruption

Trump's company is soaring on the stock exchange
1 MIN READ

Trump's company is soaring on the stock exchange

Swedish Export Threatened by Trump Victory
2 MIN READ

Swedish Export Threatened by Trump Victory

Sameby's appeal against mining company rejected
1 MIN READ

Sameby's appeal against mining company rejected

Inflation Expectations Fall
1 MIN READ

Inflation Expectations Fall

Better than expected for Novo Nordisk
1 MIN READ

Better than expected for Novo Nordisk

No "Trump Effect" on the Stockholm Stock Exchange
1 MIN READ

No "Trump Effect" on the Stockholm Stock Exchange

Stock Market Euphoria as Trump Heads for Victory
2 MIN READ

Stock Market Euphoria as Trump Heads for Victory

Rush on the Tokyo Stock Exchange after the election night
1 MIN READ

Rush on the Tokyo Stock Exchange after the election night