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Swedish unions, transportation agency comment on anti-Tesla strike efforts
Labor efforts continue against Tesla in Sweden, as the company faces strikes and sympathy strikes from multiple of the country’s largest unions that have now lasted well over a year. In recent months, these strikes have prevented Tesla’s buyers in the country from receiving their license plates directly from the transportation agency, along with stopping newly built Supercharger stations from being energized.
Tesla has been pursuing legal action for both of these issues, though Sweden’s long-standing history with a highly unionized workforce has some union and government officials scratching their heads as to why the company won’t sign a collective bargaining agreement. Originally approved by IF Metall, the country’s largest automotive and metalworkers union, the strikes have rippled into other major unions, including the government worker-focused Fackförbundet ST, and the Svenska Elektrikerförbundet (SEF) union, otherwise known as the Electricians’ Association.
In recent correspondence with Teslarati, Fackförbundet ST and the Transport Agency have shared their comments on the situation, after it was reported this week that the Electricians’ Association is under review from the Energy Market Inspectorate for its sympathy strike, and following Tesla’s latest appeal to an administrative court in hopes to force the Transport Agency to stop withholding license plates from the company.
🚨 UPDATE: IF Metall has contacted @Teslarati and said this regarding the strikes:
“When Tesla Sweden signs the collective agreement, the strike and sympathy strike ends immediately.” https://t.co/kAMxTvHdjV
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 6, 2025
Fackförbundet ST: Tesla Sweden’s anti-union efforts are ‘remarkable,’ subject customers to ‘considerable inconvenience’
Sweden’s unions represent nine out of ten workers across the country, according to IF Metall, with that union’s membership alone representing about 300,000 employees in the metalworking industry. Fackförbundet ST called Tesla Sweden’s continued efforts to resist a collective bargaining agreement “remarkable,” highlighting that it believes the company should adhere to the country’s structures.
“It is remarkable that a well-established company like Tesla chooses to invest both time and significant resources, while also subjecting its customers to considerable inconvenience, simply to avoid implementing the highly effective regulatory framework (collective agreement) that has been carefully nurtured and appreciated by the social partners in Sweden for a long time,” wrote Anders Maxson, Fackförbundet ST Press and Opinion Manager, Communications and Impact, in an email to Teslarati.
“This is an example of a conflict between the Swedish system and a global company, and we do not believe it is too much to ask for large international companies to make certain adjustments to the systems of different countries.”
In response to the union, Tesla Sweden has said that it offers workers terms that are as good, if not better, than those that can be offered by the country’s unions.
Sweden’s Transport Agency: Why it dismissed Tesla’s demand, and company’s right to another appeal
After Tesla demanded that the Swedish Transport Agency resume providing license plates to the company in a way other than via postal delivery direct-to-consumer, it also urged the Karlstad administrative court this week to force mail provider PostNord to resume these deliveries.
Following the news, the Transport Agency explained why it dismissed Tesla’s demand to Teslarati, adding that the company also has a right to file such an appeal despite having been turned down by multiple other courts in the country throughout last year.
“The Swedish Transport Agency has received a demand from Tesla that license plates should be provided to the company in a way other than via postal delivery,” wrote Anna Berggrund, Department Vehicle Information Director. “However, the Swedish Transport Agency is of the opinion that it’s not possible for Tesla to make such a demand, since the question at hand emanates from the implementation of a task set upon the agency and not from an appealable decision. Therefore we have dismissed Tesla’s demand.
“Now Tesla has appealed against our dismissal to the Administrative Court, which is their right. The issue will now be examined by the Administrative Court. We await the outcome and do not want to make any further comments on the issue.”
Sweden’s Energy Market Inspectorate: Electricians’ Association grid operators ‘obligated’ to connect facilities, except under ‘special’ circumstances
Earlier this month, Tesla Director of Charging Max de Zegher said that over 100 Supercharger stalls that had been built over the winter were waiting to be energized due to the strike efforts, as they were being prevented from connecting to the country’s grid. The situation has resulted in an investigation from the Energy Market Inspectorate, which defended the Electricians’ Association in its right to participate in a sympathy strike in recent statements but said that the circumstances were currently under review.
“The Electricians’ Association as such does not commit any crime by taking sympathy measures,” said Jerker Sidén, Energy Market Inspectorate Analyst, in a statement to Teslarati. “This is because we don’t really have any supervisory responsibility towards them. On the other hand, the electricity network companies in Sweden are covered by regulations that fall under our supervisory responsibility.
“One of these provisions is that the grid companies have an obligation to connect facilities to their electricity grids upon request unless there are special reasons. There are also provisions that the connection must take place within a reasonable time.”
In particular, the government agency is looking into whether or not the union has eligible “special reasons” for failing to fulfill its obligation to connecting the chargers to the grid, though the analyst also admits that there is little precedent as to what qualifies for the exception.
“However, there is relatively little guidance as to what this type of special reason could be and we have not previously decided a similar issue, which means that we cannot currently answer whether the regulations are followed or not,” Sidén added.
IF Metall: Collective agreements ‘one of the cornerstones of a functioning labor market model’
IF Metall also commented on the situation, echoing previous statements it made to Teslarati about the fact that it thinks Tesla Sweden signing a collective bargaining agreement is the only way to end the sympathy strikes.
“IF Metall has requested sympathy measures for its endeavor to sign a collective agreement for its members at Tesla’s company in Sweden,” says Mikael Pettersson, the union’s Head of Negotiations. “The Swedish Electricians’ Union organizes the installation industry for electricians and works daily with signing collective agreements with employers who employ electricians. It is one of the cornerstones of a functioning labor market model, which has been in place since 1906.
“The hope is that Tesla’s Swedish company signs a collective agreement with IF Metall as soon as possible.”
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.
Court rules against Tesla Sweden in license plate withholding suit
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News
Tesla Diner to transition to full-service restaurant as Chef heads for new venture
“I am leaving the Tesla Diner project to focus on the opening of Mish, my long-desired Jewish deli. Projects like Mish and the Tesla Diner require a sharpness of focus and attention, and my focus and attention is now squarely on Mish.”
Tesla Diner, the all-in-one Supercharging and dining experience located in Los Angeles, will transition to a full-service restaurant in January, staff said, as Chef Eric Greenspan said he would take on a new project.
A report from the Los Angeles Times says Greenspan confirmed through a text that he would leave the Diner and focus on the opening of his new Jewish deli, Mish.
Greenspan confirmed to the paper:
“I am leaving the Tesla Diner project to focus on the opening of Mish, my long-desired Jewish deli. Projects like Mish and the Tesla Diner require a sharpness of focus and attention, and my focus and attention is now squarely on Mish.”
Greenspan took on the job at the Tesla Diner and curated the menu back in March, focusing on locally-sourced ingredients and items that would play on various company products, like Cybertruck-shaped boxes that hold burgers.
Tesla Cybertruck leftovers are the main course at the Supercharger Diner
The Tesla Diner has operated as somewhat of a self-serve establishment, where Tesla owners can order directly from their vehicles through the center touchscreen. It was not exclusive to Tesla owners. Guests could also enter and order at a counter, and pick up their food, before sitting at a booth or table.
However, the report indicates Tesla is planning to push it toward a sit-down restaurant, full of waiters, waitresses, and servers, all of which will come to a table after you are seated, take your order, and serve your food.
It will be more of a full-featured restaurant experience moving forward, which is an interesting move from the company, but it also sounds as if it could be testing for an expansion.
We know that Tesla is already considering expanding locations, as it will be heading to new areas of the country. CEO Elon Musk has said that Tesla will be considering locations in Palo Alto near the company’s Engineering HQ, and in Austin, where its HQ and Gigafactory Texas are located.
Musk said that the Diner has been very successful in its first few months of operation.
News
Tesla adds new surprising fee to Robotaxi program
“Additional cleaning was required for the vehicle after your trip. A fee has been added to your final cost to cover this service. Please contact us if you have any questions.”
Tesla has added a new and somewhat surprising fee to the Robotaxi program. It’s only surprising because it was never there before.
Tesla shocked everyone when it launched its Robotaxi platform and offered riders the opportunity to tip, only to tell them they do not accept tips. It was one of the company’s attempts at being humorous as it rolled out its driverless platform to people in Austin.
As it has expanded to new cities and been opened to more people, as it was yesterday to iOS users, Tesla has had to tweak some of the minor details of the Robotaxi and ride-hailing platforms it operates.
First Look at Tesla’s Robotaxi App: features, design, and more
With more riders, more vehicles, and more operational jurisdictions, the company has to adjust as things become busier.
Now, it is adjusting the platform by adding “Cleaning Fees” to the Robotaxi platform, but it seems it is only charged if the vehicle requires some additional attention after your ride.
The app will communicate with the rider with the following message (via Not a Tesla App):
“Additional cleaning was required for the vehicle after your trip. A fee has been added to your final cost to cover this service. Please contact us if you have any questions.”
The cost of the cleaning will likely depend on how severe the mess is. If you spill a soda, it will likely cost less than if you lose your lunch in the back of the car because you had a few too many drinks.
This is an expected change, and it seems to be one that is needed, especially considering Tesla is operating a small-scale ride-hailing service at the current time. As it expands to more states and cities and eventually is available everywhere, there will be more situations that will arise.
The messes in vehicles are not a new situation, especially in a rideshare setting. It will be interesting to see if Tesla will enable other fees, like ones for riders who request a ride and do not show up for it.
News
Tesla Model Y sold out in China for 2025
Customers who wish to get their cars by the end of the year would likely need to get an inventory unit.
It appears that the Model Y has been sold out for 2025 in China. This seems to be true for the four variants of the vehicle that are currently offered in the country.
Tesla China’s order page update
A look at Tesla China’s order page for the Model Y shows a message informing customers that those who wish to guarantee delivery by the end of the year should purchase an inventory unit. This was despite the Model Y RWD and Model Y L showing an estimated delivery timeline of 4-8 weeks, and the Model Y Long Range RWD and Model Y Long Range AWD showing 4-13 weeks.
As per industry watchers, these updates on the Model Y’s order page suggest that Tesla China’s sales capacity for the remainder of 2025 has been sold out. The fact that estimated delivery timeframes for the Model Y Long Range RWD and AWD extend up to 13 weeks also bodes well for demand for the vehicle, especially given strong rivals like the Xiaomi YU7, which undercuts the Model Y in price.
Tesla China’s upcoming big updates
What is quite interesting is that Tesla China is still competing in the country with one hand partly tied behind its back. So far, Tesla has only been able to secure partial approval for its flagship self-driving software, FSD, in China. This has resulted in V14 not being rolled out to the country yet. Despite this, Tesla China’s “Autopilot automatic assisted driving on urban roads,” as the system is called locally, has earned positive reviews from users.
As per Elon Musk during the 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, however, Tesla is expecting to secure full approval for FSD in China in early 2026. “We have partial approval in China, and we hopefully will have full approval in China around February or March or so. That’s what they’ve told us,” Musk said.
Tesla Diner to transition to full-service restaurant as Chef heads for new venture
Tesla adds new surprising fee to Robotaxi program
