Since the end of October, Tesla's mechanics in Sweden have been on strike in an attempt to force Tesla to engage in collective bargaining with the IF Metal union in Sweden.
In the Nordic region, the government does not set minimum wages and working hour restrictions, and everything relies on collective bargaining between unions and companies, which makes the Nordic market very different from other regions. The reason for the strike by IF Metall and 130 Tesla mechanics is not for salary increases or other labor benefits, but only to maintain the tradition of collective bargaining in the region.
And this goal has also sparked widespread sympathy in the Nordic region, with groups such as Tesla mechanics and Swedish postal workers and dockworkers refusing to continue providing services to Tesla. Subsequently, the Danish Transport Workers Union, the Norwegian Federation of Trade Unions, and the Finnish Transport Workers Union also promised not to transport Tesla's cars.
In addition, PensionDanmark, a pension fund operated by Danish workers, is selling Tesla stocks worth $57 million due to this labor dispute. Norway's KLP, Sweden's Folksam, Denmark's PFA, and PensionDanmark, four Nordic pension funds, also called on Tesla to respect the Nordic collective bargaining tradition in a joint letter.
However, the unity of the Nordic community does not necessarily represent recognition from other regions. The largest union in Germany, IG Metall, has rare criticism that the IF Metall strike is illegal because it is not an action taken by workers to pursue their own interests, but a political strike.
Conceptual collision
A spokesperson for IG Metal in Germany stated that IG Metal is also seeking collective agreements, but the initiative must come from employees.
At present, there are still a considerable number of Tesla employees in Sweden who choose not to participate in the strike organized by IF Metal. They believe that Tesla's work has good working conditions and decent compensation, and there is no need to hold a strike now.
But IF Metall believes that despite differing opinions among Tesla workers, collective agreements have significant cultural significance in Sweden and must therefore take action. This is also a key reason that German IG Metal cannot agree with.
However, this viewpoint is clearly supported by most Nordic organizations. In the letter, the four pension funds in Northern Europe expressed their concern about Tesla's attitude towards collective bargaining, which is an important factor in making the Nordic region one of the most prosperous and harmonious regions in the world.
Norway's largest pension fund, KLP, holds approximately $210 million worth of stocks in Tesla. Kiran Aziz, its investment manager, pointed out that collective bargaining is not only related to Nordic labor patterns, but also to basic human rights.
In addition to pension funds, the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, which owns $6.8 billion worth of stocks and is Tesla's seventh largest shareholder, stated last week that it will continue to promote Tesla's respect for Nordic collective bargaining rules.
Observers point out that Tesla is unlikely to achieve a complete victory in the conflict with Nordic unions. Considering the failures of major American companies such as Toys R&D, McDonald's, and Uber, Tesla's future is not easy. But the good news is that German super factory workers are unlikely to wade into the muddy waters of Sweden, which can at least control the adverse effects within the Nordic region.