Sickness rates of around 30 percent, serious deficiencies in occupational safety, high workloads: more than 1,000 Tesla employees in Grünheide are demanding better working conditions.
More than 1,000 employees of the US electric car manufacturer Tesla joined forces to demand improved working conditions in a first-ever campaign at the Grünheide factory. This is reported by the IG Metall union.
During the night and early shifts, they wore T-shirts with IG Metall stickers and the inscription: “Together for safe & fair work at Tesla.” The action will continue throughout the day. According to the union, Tesla employees are also committed to IG Metall.
There has been a tension for some time between the electric car manufacturer and the union, which has denounced the company’s working conditions. Already in July, stickers from IG Metall with the inscription “Our health is more important than the next billion from Elon” were distributed at the factory in Grünheide. Shortly afterwards, the employees were warned of disciplinary measures up to and including immediate dismissal, the online portal “Business Insider” reported.
Short cycle times and high Workload
According to IG Metall, numerous Tesla employees complain about poor working conditions. They then assess the workload as extreme due to short cycle times, a lack of personnel and excessive production targets. Employees also pointed out serious deficiencies in health protection and occupational safety, which led to sickness rates of up to around 30 percent and a high number of work accidents, as IG Metall also announced.
Tesla boss Elon Musk’s aversion to unions is well known. At the beginning of the year, US employees at a Tesla factory in Buffalo tried to set up an employee representative body – and were promptly fired. According to employees, the pressure in the factory with 800 employees was increased significantly and keystrokes on the computers were even monitored. As a result, some employees no longer even dared to take a bathroom break.
The district manager of IG Metall Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony, Dirk Schulze, said about the conditions in Grünheide: “When individuals demand improvements, they either get problems or nothing happens. But together it is possible to enforce demands.”
“Stern” research on Teslaaccidents at work
The “Stern” recently reported on a striking number of work accidents in the Tesla factory in Grünheide near Berlin. Tesla reported 190 reportable accidents between June and November 2022. According to the wood and metal trade association, there were statistically 16 reportable accidents among 1,000 employees at car manufacturers and suppliers in 2022.
If Tesla’s workforce of around 4,000 employees is used as a basis for May 2022, the statistical number of reportable accidents in the industry would be 64 – that would be significantly fewer than 190 in the “Stern” report. However, the cooperative did not provide any specific figures for Tesla.
11,000 employees in Grünheide
According to the Brandenburg Ministry of Social Affairs, at least seven serious work accidents have occurred in the Tesla factory since 2021, with Tesla employees affected in three cases. The ministry did not classify the numbers as unusual. The car manufacturer referred to close controls by the authorities.
Tesla has been manufacturing electric cars in Grünheide since March 2022. Environmentalists and nature conservationists see dangers. According to the company, around 11,000 employees work in the factory, producing around 250,000 vehicles per year. Tesla wants to expand the factory.