– Tesla is a trade union enemy who is trying to create American conditions in Europe. They won’t get away with that. That’s what union leader Jørn Eggum says in the Swedish Federation to news. On 27 October, more than 130 employees at seven Swedish Tesla operations went on strike. The Swedish trade union IF Metall demands that Tesla enter into a collective agreement, which the American company has so far refused to do. According to those who are now on strike, they have worse conditions than others in the industry. They believe that they have a worse pension and insurance package, and that they work eight days more a year than others in the industry. The strike started at the end of October. Many fear that it will last for quite some time. Photo: JESSICA GOW/TT / AFP Last Friday, the strike was also extended to apply to 17 workshops. Now more than 500 people have gone on strike, according to Motor.no. Several Swedish ports have been blocked from Tuesday for unloading Tesla cars. The promotion is now being extended to all Swedish ports. Now they can get hauling help from the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions. – We will block Swedish Teslas from coming to Norway. Norway should not be a transit country for Tesla to get away with strike-breaking. – How are you going to do it? – We have informed port workers both here in Oslo and in Drammen that if Swedish Teslas come to these ports, they will not be unloaded from the boats ashore, he says. More than 500 people have gone on strike in Sweden. Photo: TT NEWS AGENCY / Reuters – This is our joint fight Eggum believes that it is important that Norwegian workers stand shoulder to shoulder with those who are now on strike in Sweden. He believes that weakened working conditions in other European countries may affect Norway. – This is important because Tesla is trying to get away. We must hold Tesla accountable and make them commit to collective agreements in the European countries in which they operate. news has contacted Tesla several times, but they have not responded to our inquiries. – People have had to put up with a lot Confederation leader of the Swedish Trade Union IF Metall, Marie Nilsson, says that a collective agreement will protect Swedish workers. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång / IF METALL Confederation leader of the Swedish trade union IF Metall, Marie Nilsson, tells news that it was only a matter of time before a strike was in place. – People who work at Tesla will say that it has been time for a proper strike. Workers have had to endure a lot. She says that without a collective agreement, Swedish workers will be at the mercy of their employers. – Tesla itself says that they have better conditions than a collective agreement, but that creates uncertainty in the industry. Then the workers have to live at Tesla’s mercy, because these conditions can change according to their wishes. That cannot happen with a collective agreement, she says. Will not affect Norwegian cars Eggum informs news that a possible blockade of Swedish electric cars being transported to Norway will not affect Norwegian consumers who have bought the electric car. – Norwegian electric cars will of course come ashore. This is primarily about Swedish Teslas. This is also why we are primarily going to take port workers in the Seamen’s Union and perhaps the trade union in public ports out on strike. Eggum also informs that it is not appropriate to take Norwegian Tesla workers out on strike. Criticized in the past Tesla has also previously been accused of firing union supporters in the US. Then several unions believed that their employees had been fired or harassed because of their union membership. CEO Elon Musk has been in conflict with American unions several times in recent years, but Tesla points out that no employees have been fired as a result of supporting the union.
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