Tesla factory workers in Germany form union council
BERLIN – Employee at Tesla’s A giant new factory near Berlin will elect a working council to represent its interests, a German union said on Tuesday.
Union IG Metall said seven employees have taken the first step to form a working council, planning to choose an election committee on Nov.
“A working council ensures that the interests of the workforce have a say and a weight. This is in line with the civic work culture,” said Birgit Dietze, leader of the IG Metall district in Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony. owner in Germany”. The Tesla factory near Berlin will employ 12,000 workers, although only about one-sixth of them have been hired so far, meaning a working council election won’t happen anytime soon, IG Metall said.
IG Metall said candidates have told them that Tesla, CEO Elon Must known for his close ties to organized labor, is offering 20% less than the generally agreed upon salary. offered at other German car manufacturers.
Tesla is also shaking up conventional German contracts by offering packages with stock options and bonuses instead of pre-determined holiday pay.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a phone call or email requesting comment.
Earlier this year, Musk was ordered to delete a 2018 tweet threatening that American employees would lose stock options if they formed a union.
Musk has expressed his displeasure with known German laws and processes, saying in a letter to authorities in April that the country’s complex planning requirements are in contrast to the urgency needed to fight climate change.