Near the end of 2023, trade union IF Metall announced that it was expelling some members who refused to participate in the organization’s ongoing actions against Tesla. One of these expelled members, who currently works as a mechanic for Tesla Sweden, recently shared his thoughts about the conflict between his employer and the union. The Tesla mechanic’s comments offer a fresh view of the conflict, and they highlight the potential toll of IF Metall’s escalating efforts against the EV maker.
In a conversation with Dagens Arbete (DA), the Tesla Sweden employee, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that worker conditions in the electric vehicle maker are good. The mechanic also noted that he has not felt much change in Tesla Sweden’s operations despite the different sympathy strikes that have been implemented by IF Metall’s allies against the electric car maker. Moreover, the mechanic shared the reason why he refused to strike against his employer.
“The main reason is that I care about the environment and enjoy my job. And I care a lot about our customers too. I want customers to feel safe choosing Tesla,” the former IF Metall member noted.
That being said, the Tesla Sweden mechanic admitted that his biggest stressor right now is the “harassment” from the union. When asked by the publication about his contacts with IF Metall, the expelled member noted that he had received messages and calls that sounded threatening. The mechanic admitted that he actually is quite afraid of the union.
“So you know, I’m terrified of IF Metall. They try to make it difficult for you, provoke, as it were, so that you feel that it is difficult to be at work. They have called and sent messages and they have really tried to explain what the strike means and why I should join, before I was then excluded. And it sounded threatening actually. They have said that I will never be able to work in a union shop in the future and no unions will represent me in the future. That’s how I understood it. That they will gang up against me,” the Tesla Sweden mechanic said.
??”I’m afraid of the Union, I enjoy my job. No one asked me how I felt, what I wanted, the union just runs its own race.”
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In a unique measure, IF Metall just before Christmas excluded a number of members who continued to work at Tesla, despite the strike. Now one of the… pic.twitter.com/1OCzkIOohQ— Nicklas ???T???♻️? (@NicklasNilsso14) January 11, 2024
Overall, however, the expelled IF Metall member noted that he is quite happy that he is no longer a member of the trade union since now he can “avoid the monthly fee.” When asked about what he thinks of his exclusion, the Tesla Sweden mechanic clarified that “no one asked me how I felt, what I wanted” and that “the union just runs its own race.” He also shared how his view of the union has changed over the years.
“When I joined, I was new to the industry, and it was obvious that you should join. Then, when I got older, I realized that the membership was just an expensive subscription to a magazine,” the former IF Metall member said.
IF Metall’s union secretary Martin Gunnarsson was asked by DA about the former member’s comments. Gunnarsson noted that it is unfortunate that someone feels afraid of the trade union, though the organization has made efforts to get ahold of all its members to inform them about the strikes against Tesla. “If this person has experienced fear, it is, of course, unfortunate; a person experiences what he experiences. But we have tried to get hold of them in order to reason. It has been necessary to find out how certain things work,” the union official said.
When asked about the notion of IF Metall members who do not wish to join the strike against Tesla, the union secretary noted that such employees are probably being pressured. “I am convinced that there was a lot of pressure on everyone. Those who have gone on strike and those who are inside and working, members or not. But it is not possible to make that type of judgment; we have handled it on the basis that you have been disloyal to the statutes,” Gunnarsson said.
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Tesla is launching a crazy new Rental program with cheap daily rates
This week, Tesla launched its in-house Rental program that will give people a vehicle for between three to seven days, with prices varying and starting at just $60 per day.
Tesla is launching a crazy new Rental program with cheap daily rates, giving people the opportunity to borrow a vehicle in the company’s lineup with an outrageous number of perks.
This week, Tesla launched its in-house Rental program that will give people a vehicle for between three to seven days, with prices varying and starting at just $60 per day.
However, there are additional perks that make it a really great deal, including Free Supercharging and Free Full Self-Driving (Supervised) for the duration of the rental.
There are no limits on mileage or charging, although the terms do not allow you to leave the state you are renting.
Tesla wrote in an email advertising the program:
“Rent a Tesla and see how it makes every errand, commute, and road trip more fun. While it’s yours, try Full Self-Driving (Supervised) and control and monitor your vehicle with the Tesla app.
Schedule your rental for three to seven days starting at $60 per day (plus taxes and fees) and charge for free at any Tesla-owned Supercharger.
Order your own Tesla within seven days of your rental to get up to a $250 credit toward your purchase.”
This is a great opportunity that will convince MANY people to make the jump.
All your concerns about switching are answered within two days. It’s easier than owning a gas car ever has been. https://t.co/QayTf6YVbw pic.twitter.com/TCHqfTRpes
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) November 8, 2025
Tesla has long adopted the mentality that butts in seats will sell cars, and for the most part, it is a great strategy. Driving a Tesla is different from owning and driving a combustion engine vehicle; it truly feels as if you are in a car from the past when you get back in an ICE car.
This strategy could be looked at as more of a way for people to experience Tesla ownership than anything.
Although some might use it as a typical rental program that will see it be a cool way to drive without putting miles on a personal car, most will use it as the 48-hour test drive was designed for, which is a short-term way to experience EV ownership.
Tesla is only offering this program at a handful of locations currently, including San Diego and Costa Mesa, California.
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Tesla makes online ordering even easier
Tesla has a great trade-in program that allows you to give the company your vehicle in exchange for cash, even if it’s not an EV. Their trades are mostly fair, but the company seems to undervalue its own vehicles, and there have been plenty of complaints over offers in the past.
Tesla has adjusted its Online Design Studio to make for an easier trade-in process, reflecting the details of the exchange for a more accurate reflection of payment terms.
Tesla has a great trade-in program that allows you to give the company your vehicle in exchange for cash, even if it’s not an EV. Their trades are mostly fair, but the company seems to undervalue its own vehicles, and there have been plenty of complaints over offers in the past.
Trade-ins are usually given by submitting vehicle details, then Tesla sends an email with an offer. Offers are non-negotiable, but do adjust over time, although the latest offer is valid for 30 days.
I traded my ICE vehicle for a Tesla Model Y: here’s how it went
Knowing your new Tesla’s cash price, leasing or loan details, and monthly payment information used to be done by the car buyer. From personal experience, I simply subtracted my trade-in from the cash price of the Tesla Model Y, and I plugged those numbers into the payment calculator.
Now, Tesla is implementing the trade-in process directly into the Design Studio. It will adjust the price of the car and the different monthly payment methods automatically:
Trade-in estimates available directly on our configurator in few states including CA, will cover all of US and Canada next week.
For loyalty customers, if their trade-in VIN is eligible for any loyalty credit, the same will be applied to the estimate. pic.twitter.com/7097vPleMf
— Raj Jegannathan (@r_jegaa) November 8, 2025
The change is already noticed in a handful of states, including California, but it has not rolled out across the board quite yet. It will be implemented in all of the U.S., as well as Canada, this coming week.
The trade-in process is very simple, and after you accept your offer, you simply drop your vehicle off during the delivery process. Making this simple change will be greatly appreciated by owners.
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Tesla confirms Robotaxi is heading to five new cities in the U.S.
After launching in Austin, Texas, in late June and the Bay Area of California just a few weeks later, Tesla has been attempting to expand its Robotaxi suite to new states and cities in the U.S., and even outside of the country.
Tesla Robotaxi will hit five new cities in the United States in the coming months, the company confirmed.
After launching in Austin, Texas, in late June and the Bay Area of California just a few weeks later, Tesla has been attempting to expand its Robotaxi suite to new states and cities in the U.S., and even outside of the country.
The Robotaxi suite is a ride-hailing service Tesla offers, but the details of it change with each jurisdiction, as regulations vary. For example, in Austin, Tesla can operate the Robotaxi suite without anyone in the driver’s seat, as long as the vehicle does not enter a freeway.
Credit: Tesla
In the Bay Area, a Safety Monitor rides in the driver’s seat, essentially acting as the vehicle operator with Full Self-Driving controlling the car.
The local regulations and how Tesla handles them will continue to be a relevant part of the discussion, especially as the company aims to expand the Robotaxi program to different areas. This has been a primary focus of the company for several months, especially within the United States.
CEO Elon Musk said that Tesla was aiming to launch Robotaxi in Nevada, Arizona, and Florida. However, the company detailed five specific cities where it will launch Robotaxi next during the Annual Shareholder Meeting on Thursday.
Tesla will launch Robotaxi in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, and Miami next, broadening its Service Area for the suite to more major cities across the U.S.
It has said it plans to offer the service to half of the U.S. population by the end of the year, but it does not seem as if it will expand to more than a handful of cities this year, which is still tremendous progress, all things considered.
As far as autonomy is concerned, Tesla has always had lofty expectations and has made some even loftier statements.
At the Shareholder Meeting, Musk said that the company would likely be able to enable vehicle owners to text while the vehicle drives, alleviating them from potentially having some of the responsibility they have behind the wheel.
Tesla says texting and driving capability is coming ‘in a month or two’
It is not confirmed that Tesla will roll this out in the next few months, but Musk said there is a possibility.
Tesla is launching a crazy new Rental program with cheap daily rates
Tesla makes online ordering even easier
Tesla confirms Robotaxi is heading to five new cities in the U.S.
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