Sun, 26 Oct 2025

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 The striking Swedish workers taking on carmaker Tesla

The industrial action against the company's operation in Sweden has reached its second anniversary.
In Sweden, 70 car mechanics from IF Metall union have been on strike against Tesla's Swedish service centers for two years, with no resolution in sight. The dispute concerns the right to negotiate pay and conditions through collective agreements, a cornerstone of Swedish industrial culture that has existed for nearly a century. However, Elon Musk's Tesla has refused to sign a collective agreement, leading to the strike. The union claims that Tesla's refusal is an attempt to undermine workers' rights, while Tesla argues that it prefers to work directly with its employees rather than through unions. The company has since replaced striking mechanics with new staff, a move that experts say breaks with established norms in Swedish industrial relations. Other unions have joined IF Metall in supporting the strike, including dockworkers in neighboring countries who are refusing to handle Teslas. However, Tesla owners in Sweden remain unaffected by the strike, as there are alternative charging stations available. Experts warn that if IF Metall concedes on the principle of collective agreement, it could set a precedent that would erode support for the labor market model in Sweden. On the other hand, Tesla may see conceding the fight as strengthening the hand of those who want to unionize its production facilities in the US and Germany. The conflict shows no signs of ending soon, with both sides dug in and no clear resolution in sight.
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