The dispute between the US electric car manufacturer Tesla and the union IG Metall comes to a head a few weeks before the works council elections. The company accused an external union representative of secretly recording a works council meeting on Tuesday and filed a criminal complaint, according to an internal memo to employees seen by Reuters.
The union speaks of a “smear campaign”. “This claim is a blatant and calculated lie,” explained the group “IG Metall – Tesla Workers GFBB” in the Tesla works council.
Meeting interrupted and police called
Tesla factory manager Andre Thierig wrote that the union representative was caught taking the picture by an “attentive works council member.” The police confiscated the computer and recorded witness statements.
IG Metall explained that a works council of the employers’ faction suddenly claimed that the union secretary was recording the meeting. “The rest seemed to us like a set-up game: the works council chairwoman gave her colleague no opportunity to refute the allegations.” Instead, the meeting was interrupted and plant security and the police were called. IG Metall is represented on the Tesla works council, but does not represent the majority there.
Jan Otto, head of the IG Metall district of Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony, said, the union is used to tough election campaigns. “But here all measure and apparently all democratic consciousness have been lost,” he said.
Management cannot win with fair means and is now resorting to such methods. “Influencing elections with fictitious allegations reminds us of the actions of authoritarian regimes.” The fact that the police are being forced to investigate is absurd. “We are already in the process of taking legal action against those responsible for this smear campaign.”
The dispute between IG Metall and management has been simmering for years. Among other things, IG Metall is fighting for better working conditions and a collective agreement that Tesla rejects. The workforce is divided. At the beginning of March, a new works council will be elected at Tesla, in which IG Metall will compete with its list and hopes for a majority.