Tumult at Tesla meeting-security must intervene

Security creates against employees

“Unspeakably”: scandal at Tesla meeting in Grünheide

At a Tesla meeting in Grünheide, a trade unionist must be removed from security. It is probably about a continuing conflict with IG Metall.

At a works meeting in the Tesla plant Grünheide, there was apparently a real tumult last week. A trade unionist was led by security forces from the hall after there were noisy disputes at the event. This is reported by the “Handelsblatt” journalists Sönke Iwersen and Michael’s fellow, whose revelation book “The Tesla Files” recently appeared.

Accordingly, Tesla work manager André Thursday was just talking about sales figures when several men confused. Things interrupted his speech and spoke of a “small security incident”. A little later the factory protection intervened. The incident is apparently related to a persistent conflict between IG Metall and Tesla management in Grünheide.

The background is a deep crack within the workforce. Although IG Metall provides the strongest parliamentary group in the works council, it does not have the majority. Therefore, their representatives may not keep official speeches from the podium at company meetings. At the meeting on Thursday, they reacted with a symbolic action: they presented a transparent with criticism of everyday work in the factory.

On the banner, “lack of personnel”, “strong physical and psychological stress” and “pressure through high target numbers” were denounced. According to IG Metall, these conditions led to “stress, pain and exhaustion”. According to eyewitnesses, the banner was shown in front of the work gate before the assembly began. It also contained the result of an internal petition in which 3,000 employees demanded additional breaks, more staff and more respect.

Those who is considered the governor of Tesla boss Elon Musk, the campaign of the employees sharply rejected. He spoke of “populist mood makers” and emphasized that it was not the actual problems that the company employed. He was particularly angry that the petition was provided with a QR code that led to a member application from IG Metall. He described this as “totally unspeakable” and an attempt to “move” employees into the union.

At the same time, Third referred to the company’s own survey of December, in which more than 7,500 employees would have participated. According to Tesla, around 80 percent of the respondents are satisfied with their workplace. However, the plant manager clearly rejected the demand for paid breaks. In his view, this would be the same for a reduction in working hours – a limit that, in his opinion, cannot be negotiated: “Working time is really a red line for me.”