Photo by Tesla Fans Schweiz on Unsplash
Tesla Sues Swedish Transport Agency Over Postal Service Strike
November 28, 2023
Tesla has taken legal action against the Swedish Transport Agency, following blocked deliveries of license plates for the company’s cars by Swedish postal workers. This move by postal employees is viewed as an act of solidarity with striking workers and comes amidst growing tensions between Tesla and Swedish unions.
The issue revolves around Tesla’s reluctance to sign a collective bargaining agreement with its service division employees, including technicians and mechanics who are responsible for the repair and maintenance of Tesla vehicles. The decision to block the delivery of license plates is the latest retaliatory action by Swedish unions, following a series of strikes and blockades.
Tesla argues that the Swedish government is constitutionally obligated to provide registration plates to vehicle owners. The lawsuit was filed with the Norrköping district court on Monday. In a broader ambit of this legal struggle, Tesla has also sued the national postal service, as reported by Bloomberg.
The legal filing reveals that Tesla delivered 9,167 cars to Sweden in 2022 and that the Model Y has emerged as the country’s best-selling car so far in 2023. According to Tesla’s vehicle production and delivery report released on Oct. 2, the company delivered a total of 435,059 cars in the third quarter.
The situation at Tesla is escalating as approximately 130 employees from seven of its Swedish repair shops have gone on strike, responding to a call from IF Metall, the country’s largest manufacturing workers’ union. This follows Tesla’s refusal to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement. Other unions have shown solidarity by halting actions that indirectly support Tesla, such as dock workers refusing to unload Tesla vehicles.
As the dispute intensified, postal workers joined in, refusing to deliver mail to Tesla. This is part of a battle over the delivery policy for license plates with Sweden’s Transport Agency, which has led to a lawsuit by Tesla.
Beyond Sweden, Tesla has faced allegations of anti-union activities in the U.S. These charges include terminating pro-union workers in Buffalo, New York, and allegedly inhibiting employees from discussing their pay in Orlando, Florida. The disputes spotlight Tesla’s labor practices and could significantly impact its global reputation as an employer.
According to Reuters, the Norrköping district court took Tesla’s side in the legal battle and ruled that “the agency must get the plates to Tesla within seven days or pay a fine of 1 million Swedish crowns ($95,000).
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