IF Metall’s sympathy strikes against Tesla, Sweden forges ahead. Recently, the Swedish union’s sympathy strikes have led to 20 employees losing their jobs.
In November 2023, IF Metall set its sights on Tesla Giga Berlin with the goal to stop the factory’s vehicle production. The Swedish union turned to aluminum supplier Hydro Extrusions in Vetlanda to achieve its objective. Hydro Extrusions is a Swedish company that supplies aluminum parts for Giga Berlin’s Model Y production.
IF Metall convinced Hydro Extrusions to participate in its fight against Tesla through a sympathy strike. Now, 20 Hydro Extrusions employees have been notified that their roles are redundant, reported Carup.
The aluminum supplier had some reservations about joining the Tesla strike. Among its concerns was that Tesla could quickly replace the parts Hydro Extrusion produced with other suppliers. Its concerns proved to be valid.
Tesla changed aluminum suppliers for Giga Berlin, and production has hit new milestones. Tesla temporarily paused production between January 29 and February 11 because of supply chain issues from tensions in the Red Sea. Once production started again on February 12, Giga Berlin came back swinging.
Based on Giga Berlin’s current production rate, IF Metall’s plan to stop the factory failed, and 20 people lost their jobs. Ironically, these 20 Hydro Extrusions employees had collective agreements. IF Metall’s main goal with its strike is to get Tesla to sign a collective agreement.
F Metall has ousted the union members who continued to work for Tesla and chose not to join the strike. Some Tesla employees who were union members have shared stories of IF Metall’s attempts to get them to join the strike.
IF Metall’s strike is mainly supported through sympathy strikes by companies tenuously connected to Tesla’s operations in Sweden or not at all. However, it seems these sympathy strikes might have a high price. Chairman Robin Wallén Nilsson of Wetland’s municipal board sent a letter to IF Metall, asking it to withdraw sympathy measures against third parties in its strike.
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