Sweden’s response to Tesla strike controversy extends to Musk’s stance, calling it absurd

(AFP, Stockholm, 23rd) The Swedish metal industry union went on strike because electric car manufacturer Tesla refused to sign a collective wage agreement. Tesla CEO Elon Musk broke his silence today and said that this may It’s “ridiculous” to hinder the delivery of new cars.

Swedish postal staff began to stop delivering goods to Tesla offices and repair shops on the 20th of this month to support the strike launched by the metal industry workers union IF Metall due to Tesla’s refusal to sign a collective wage agreement.

Sweden’s Dagens Industri later reported that postal workers’ support for the strike could actually prevent Tesla’s new cars from taking to the road because new license plates issued by the Swedish Transport Agency can only be issued through PostNord. service.

Someone mentioned the incident on X, the social networking platform formerly known as Twitter, and Musk responded briefly: “It’s ridiculous.” He has never publicly expressed his opinion on the strike before.

Mikael Andersson, head of press at the Swedish Transport Agency, confirmed to AFP in an email that the new license plates were sent via Swedish Post. He explained that under a procurement contract negotiated by the Swedish Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency on behalf of all government agencies, the transport agency must use Swedish Post.

IF Metall said that about 130 technicians at 10 Tesla repair shops in seven cities in Sweden were the first to go on strike on October 27 this year.

The strike later expanded to other repair shops that provide services to Tesla and other car manufacturers, and dock workers at all Swedish ports also stopped unloading Tesla cars.

In addition to IF Metall, nine unions have announced “supportive measures”, including the Swedish Union for Service and Communications Employees, which represents postal workers, and the Swedish Building Workers union. ‘Union).

However, several Swedish media reported that the current effects of these actions are limited, and IF Metall also accused Tesla of systematically using people who did not participate in the strike to avoid the impact of the strike.

Tesla has also found other ways to deliver new cars to Sweden, especially using roads.

Collective agreements negotiated by each industry one by one are the foundation of the Swedish labor market model, covering nearly 90% of employees and guaranteeing basic wages and working conditions.

IF Metall stated that Tesla refused to sign a collective bargaining agreement, claiming that the company “did not do this anywhere in the world.”