Tesla and Elon Musk in the Brandenburg province: A lot of excitement about mobility for the upper middle class

dossier

“Tesla boss Elon Musk's announcement that he wants to build a new Tesla factory "near Berlin" and create "thousands of new jobs" is being praised by almost all sides of the political spectrum (...) After all, it's not just about new jobs, but above all about making a contribution to "climate-friendly mobility". (…) Firstly, Tesla's project is an investment intended to optimize and increase luxury mobility for a well-heeled, Western group. Secondly, it is an investment as part of the general hype about electric car mobility, which distracts from the actual tasks of a mobility and transport organization that meets the requirements of climate change. Thirdly, the few thousand new jobs in the possible new Tesla factory from 2022 must be put in relation to the several thousand jobs in the field of renewable energies, according to the wind power industry, which are currently being cut…”Article by Winfried Wolf from November 14, 2019 in the Nachdenkseiten – see further developments both in terms of working conditions and ecologically (deliberately mixed up, because they are connected):

• ‪[New study shows high work pressure, opaque wages and divided workforce] Tesla's labor regime is here to stay
  “For a long time, little was known about working conditions at Tesla. A new study now shows how high work pressure, opaque wages and a divided workforce characterize everyday life in the factory. This could soon set a precedent throughout the entire auto industry.(…)»Tesla versus national models. Union organizing and union busting in Sweden, Germany and the United States« .The research report was published by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), and the authors include German Bender, chief analyst at the Swedish think tank Arena, who is also aBook about Tesla's strike in Swedenwrote. Ian Greer works at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University in the USA, and Johannes Schulten works as a freelance journalist. According to the study, four core elements characterize the work regime at Tesla: The workforce is relatively young, poorly qualified and disproportionately migrant. It is also fragmented and subject to despotic management. In addition, the compensation structures are non-transparent and the working conditions are dangerous. (…)
  Trade unionists point out that workers with a precarious residence status are particularly difficult to organize, especially if this is linked to their employment contract. At the same time, the high level of ethnic and language diversity makes communication, solidarity and organization more difficult. A division of the workforce along national lines can also lead to a loss of solidarity.
  With the high proportion of migrants, Tesla's American management principle of "skills over degrees" is also finding its way into the automotive industry, according to which skills on the job count more than training and certificates. It offers opportunities to people who have not gone through the German training system and cannot produce any (homologated) qualifications. In Grünheide, lifelong learning and direct competency testing in the workplace are becoming standard, he saidLabor market researcher Enzo Weber from the Institute for Labor Market and Occupational Research (IAB). For many, this creates opportunities that do not exist in other places. But on the other hand, qualifications that have already been acquired are devalued if the classification does not ask about them. (…)
  According to Hürtgen, the work regime at the Tesla factory can basically be described along two dimensions: exhaustive and repressive. It is linked to forms of “management by stress”. The scientist Stefanie Hürtgen spoke years ago about the phenomenon that is now setting a precedent at Tesla: ultra-modern production facilities coexist with backbreaking work, neglected occupational safety and, above all, highly flexible, extensive and intensified working conditions. A system she describes as “high tech for low wages.” (…)
  Strong union representation of worker interests at Tesla would be urgently needed. But things are looking bad so far. The level of organization at Tesla is significantly lower than in the established auto industry, where values ​​of 90 percent are not uncommon. IG Metall lost the works council elections for the third time this year. Investigative journalists Sönke Iwersen and Michael Verfürden concluded that this election defeat represents a “triumph of authoritarian Silicon Valley capitalism over the traditional German culture of co-determination.” (…) Study author Schulten, on the other hand, draws a sobering conclusion: “The conflict over the works council elections has shown that even an IG Metall, which works fairly well and strategically, is at a structural disadvantage compared to such an employer.” The industrial dispute in Sweden, which Tesla won, also does not bode well. Not even the world's most powerful union movement was able to get Tesla to sign a collective agreement. (…) My guess is that IG Metall does not fully understand what is “new” about Tesla’s production regime. It is apparently unable and unwilling to break out of the corsage of German structures and is still oriented towards the social partnership model of the established German manufacturers. (…) It is therefore of little use to mourn the “old culture”, because the “new culture” is likely to set a precedent throughout the industry. “Tesla has come to stay and – it currently looks like it – is also heralding the beginning of the end of social partnership in the auto industry as a whole.” Article by Timo Daum on November 9, 2026 in the Forum Trade Union Left Berlin 
• Tesla in Grünheide vs. IG Metall: Conciliation meeting for works council election at the labor court in Frankfurt (Oder) failed, court ruling expected in April 2027
  “There was still a little bit of hope on Monday last week: the judge had invited IG Metall and Tesla to the so-called conciliation hearing at the labor court in Frankfurt (Oder). The union had previously challenged the works council election at Tesla because of alleged election influence by the electric car manufacturer. Now both sides should try to reach an amicable agreement. Then they would be spared a lengthy procedure. But after less than half an hour it was clear: IG Metall and Tesla could not come to an agreement, so proceedings would take place. (…) Tesla has not yet commented on the allegations to the rbb. The company's lawyer said at the conciliation hearing that no pressure had been put on individual employees. In addition, the plant management does not have to behave neutrally in an election. In fact, there are no known cases in which employees were threatened with concrete personal disadvantages, such as dismissal. According to experts, Tesla could also argue that statements critical of unions by senior employees are covered by freedom of expression.
  The court is expected to decide who is right in April 2027. But: If the losing party then files a complaint with the next higher court, the process could drag on even longer - possibly until the next works council election in four years. A repeat of the last election would then be invalid, even if IG Metall were successful in its challenge. But Jannes Bogert from IG Metall makes it clear: “If Tesla’s behavior sets a precedent, then democracy and company co-determination are in danger.” We owe it to the employees - not just at Tesla - not to accept this. The union also said that it was about having a court determine that Tesla's behavior was unlawful…”Contribution by Philip Barnstorf from June 24th, 2026 in rbb (“Tesla vs. IG Metall: The power struggle in Grünheide escalates”)
• Hunting for sick people and evading continued payment of wages had “success” at Tesla in Grünheide: the evil sickness rate was reduced from 17% to less than 5%, also through expulsion 
  • Sick methods: Tesla in Grünheide reduces employee absenteeism using pressure and unfair means. Continued payment of wages arbitrarily set
    “The “Gigafactory” in Grünheide near Berlin is “our most modern, sustainable and efficient factory,” the US car manufacturer enthuses on its website. And indeed: real miracles happen here. Within less than two years, the sickness rate among around 11,000 employees has shrunk from 17 percent to less than five percent - with federal funding of between five and six percent, depending on the survey. While the shop on the green meadow in Brandenburg was once a stronghold for all kinds of ailments, it now almost seems like a sanatorium. This makes the creator proud: "I think a lot of companies would look at it with envy if they had achieved that," said plant manager André Thierig at an event at the Hanover Trade Fair at the weekend.
    Thierig, who is considered a confidant of company boss Elon Musk, is not above getting his subordinates' health up to speed. Together with human resources manager Erik Demmler, he personally rang the doorbell of employees who were on sick leave to inquire about their well-being. Of course, this was reported in the press at the time, in autumn 2024, so that everyone would know how much he cares about his people. He does this with some emphasis. At a works meeting in July 2023, Thierig declared that there was "no room" under him for employees who "can't get out of bed" in the morning. Something like that works. Today, most people manage to get out of bed - even when they should actually be careful.
    As the Handelsblatt reported on Monday, Thierig's care not only has advocates in the company. This is also due to special letters from the management that those affected received and which read: "No further payment of wages due to possible continued illness." At Tesla, they believe in the power of self-healing and cannot imagine that once they have recovered, they could later be affected by further illnesses. According to German labor law, an entrepreneur continues to pay their employees' wages for a maximum of six weeks per illness. Anyone who then goes on sick leave again will only receive compensation if they have a new illness. Because this cannot and should not be the case at Tesla in Grünheide, those who become ill more often must either be re-infected or malingerers. Either way, the money is cut because the management counts the continued payment of wages they allegedly received wrongly as a debt. (…)
    This practice is generally not enforceable in court. As early as 2024, IG Metall said it would obtain 160,000 euros in payments for Tesla employees that the company had previously withheld. Nevertheless, the scam is effective. "It intimidates employees and causes people to go to work sick or leave the company."
    In general, the US car manufacturer interprets German law quite freely. For example, he demands that those addressed in the letter in question release their doctors from their duty of confidentiality and disclose their medical history in detail. The company is relying on a ruling by the Federal Labor Court from 2023, according to which an “employer” does not have to rely on information from the health insurance company and can deny the existence of a new illness. In the opinion of Gregor Thüsing, professor of labor law at the University of Bonn, Tesla is going too far. No employee has to present a medical diagnosis on their own, and no doctor has to discuss his diagnosis with a company, he noted in the Handelsblatt. What Tesla is demanding so apodictically is highly controversial from a legal point of view.
    The end justifies the means. Apparently, the measures primarily affect employees who are otherwise not acceptable to the “employer,” such as those who protest against working conditions or are involved in unions or in the works council. Tesla has a “rigid hire-and-fire system,” according to IG Metall. "Anyone who offends has a hard time." Or leaving is made easy: you can get rid of the "burden of debt" due to "continued illness" as soon as you "voluntarily" sign a termination agreement…”Article by Ralf Wurzbacher in the Junge Welt from April 28, 2026 
  • “Legally questionable”: No more wages for long-term illness – Tesla massively reduces absences
    “…Even Elon Musk himself has already joined the debate about the high level of sickness at his factory in Grünheide. At that time, Tesla managers paid home visits to employees on sick leave because, according to the company, sickness rates had sometimes reached 15 percent or more. "That sounds crazy. I'll look into it," Musk wrote at (…)
    The company assumes that this is not a new illness, but the same illness for which an employee has already been on sick leave for a long time. Employers must continue to pay wages for a maximum of six weeks per illness. After that, the health insurance companies are responsible and pay sickness benefit.
    According to the report, Tesla explains in the letters: "In view of the health insurance companies' self-interest in not having to pay sick pay, we unfortunately often had to realize that the health insurance companies' statements that there were no eligible pre-existing illnesses were incorrect." The affected employee should therefore prove that they are newly ill. He must “describe, based on the entire relevant period, what health impairments and complaints existed with what effects on the ability to work.” He also had to release the treating doctors from their duty of confidentiality. (…)
    Volker Görzel, a specialist lawyer for labor law, considers the approach to be “legally questionable,” as he tells ntv.de. The case law has developed somewhat to the detriment of employees in recent years, explains Görzel. Many employers took advantage of this trend and reduced salaries. Because this has no real negative consequences: If an employee sues and gets justice, the employer only has to pay back the salary. “From Tesla’s point of view, the wage cut is a means of building economic and psychological pressure on employees,” says the labor lawyer. “Tesla has nothing serious to fear from this approach.”
    Gregor Thüsing, professor of labor law at the University of Bonn, also doubts the legality of Tesla's actions. “That seems to me to be a little more than the case law requires,” he told the “Handelsblatt”. No employee has to present medical diagnoses on their own initiative; the law and case law do not provide for this. Nor does "the doctor have to say more than what is already in his certificate. He doesn't have to have a discussion with Tesla about his diagnosis." What Tesla is demanding is highly controversial from a legal point of view…”Article by Christina Lohner from April 27, 2026 at n-tv.de 
  • Tesla cuts sick leave into thirds – and stops pay for sick people
    “In Grünheide, hardly any employees call in sick anymore. The car manufacturer stops paying wages in several cases - citing German labor law.
    The US car manufacturer Tesla has apparently been able to massively reduce sick leave at its German factory in Brandenburg. As plant manager André Thierig announced in an interview at the Hannover Messe, it is currently less than five percent. Thierig: “I think a lot of companies would be jealous if they had achieved that.”
    Sickness has long been a problem at Tesla.In July 2023, Thierig complained at a works meeting , there is “no room” in his factory for people who “can’t get out of bed” in the morning. In August 2024, sick leave reached 17 percent.Thierig and his human resources manager Erik Demmler then visited employees on sick leave at home unannounced . Today, Thierig describes a new spirit in the factory. Tesla launched an employee share program, built a fitness studio and opened a barbershop.According to Thierig, all of this leads to a high level of loyalty to the company. For example, employees wouldn't have to change at work: "They just like to come in their work clothes. [...] People think it's cool.”… “Article by Sönke Iwersen and Michael Verfürden from April 27, 2026 in the Handelsblatt online (subscription from then on, misleading headline for me too, but the first on the topic that everyone refers to)
  • See previous information about hunting sick people here below
• “Serious impression of threats and thus election influence”: IG Metall is challenging the works council election at Tesla – and a supporting petition
  “Challenge to the works council election through a motion for a resolution submitted today +++ Union sees a fundamental need for legal clarification +++ Benner: “Serious impression of threats and thus election influence”
  Today, Wednesday, IG Metall submitted a motion for a resolution to declare the ineffectiveness of the works council election in March 2026 at Tesla. The basis for this is Section 19 of the Works Constitution Act.From the union's point of view, the election campaign marked by threats from the company, the numerous attempts at intimidation and the unequal treatment of the individual lists and candidates allow no conclusion other than to view this as inadmissible election influence. For these reasons, IG Metall has decided to challenge the works council election at Tesla that took place in March 2026. (…)
  The list of reasons is long. For months, Tesla employees were told that a decision in favor of IG Metall was a decision against Tesla and would have consequences for the future of the plant and their jobs. However, the Works Constitution Act prohibits the obstruction of elections, particularly by threatening disadvantages. From the point of view of IG Metall, Tesla has violated these – and other – rules.
  A few examples: Illuminated advertising on the facade of the Tesla factory was only permitted to the employer-related list, but the same action by the IG Metall list was immediately stopped. Superiors handed out badges with the inscription “Giga Yes Union No” and made statements to the effect that there would be less money with IG Metall or unambiguous requests to the workforce, for example: “I can only advise you not to vote for the red list.” What is particularly noteworthy is that this behavior was largely observed among supervisors and plant managers. (…)
  A successful challenge to the election would result in the existing works council being dissolved with the legal effect of the decision to challenge it and a new election having to take place. From a union perspective, the current legal situation is not sufficient to ensure democratic elections in companies…”Press release from March 25, 2026 from IG Metall Bund , see also:
  • [Petition] Tesla Grünheide: New elections for the works council now – ensuring democracy in the company!
    “…IG Metall has submitted an application to the labor court to have the 2026 works council election reviewed. We support this cause. We demand
    • A clear statement from management that they accept and support new elections
    • A corresponding statement from the list leader of the “Giga United” listand current works council chairwoman Michaela Schmitz
    • Guarantee free and fair electoral conditions for new elections
      A democratic election requires trust. And trust only arises under fair conditions…”Petition on change.org by Nikolaus Roth from March 28, 2026
  • No recording of the works council meeting: Investigators refute Tesla's allegations
    “There was no recording of the Tesla works council meeting by an IG Metall official. All accusations made by Tesla in this regard are baseless. The Brandenburg investigative authorities determined this and informed the IG Metall lawyers. IG Metall district manager Jan Otto: "Tesla managing director André Thierig launched a smear campaign with brazen accusations against an IG Metall colleague right before the works council election. It is now clear: all allegations were false. Here, company management intervened in a works council election with false allegations.”…”Report from March 26, 2026 from the IG Metall district of Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony 
  • Tesla works council election: “That was union busting at its peak” – it can’t stay that way!
    Contribution by Peter Vlatten from March 26, 2026 in the Forum Trade Union Left Berlin 
• Tesla works council election: IG Metall becomes the second strongest force despite all resistance 
  "After the works council election at the Tesla factory, IG Metall reaffirmed its commitment to better working conditions in the Gigafactory. IG Metall district manager Jan Otto: "Despite all the attacks from management and an exceptionally unfair election campaign, the IG Metall list Tesla Workers GFFB has become the second strongest force. We will use this potential to enforce better working conditions against an anti-union management." Laura Arndt and Philipp Schwartz from the IG Metall list Tesla Workers GFFB emphasized: “We will also do everything we can in the new works council to ensure that something changes for us and our colleagues in the Gigafactory.” (…) Jan Otto, IG Metall district manager Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony: "My appreciation goes to all metal workers who ran a great election campaign in the Gigafactory and with a lot of courage and determination overcame all resistance. Our candidates from the IG Metall -Tesla Workers list were convincing people and presented the right election program with ten concrete steps for better work. But it is also clear: that was anything but a fair one Works council election. This management tried again and again to influence this works council election in their favor. To do this, they used all means and all channels, from works meetings, individual discussions with superiors to the factory radio in the toilets. All of this culminated in the threat from management and Elon Musk to stop investments if the IG Metall List won the election.As a trade unionist, I have never before experienced a management that tries to influence a works council election with all its power like Tesla did."..." Press release from the IG Metall district of Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony from March 4, 2026 
  • On the works council election at the electric car manufacturer Tesla in Grünheide: IG Metall has to learn – quickly please! 
    "Hardly any works council election in recent years has received as much public attention as the one at Tesla in Grünheide near Berlin. The result of the vote, which took place from March 2nd to 4th, is now clear. The employer-related list GIGA United has become the strongest force with 41 percent of the votes (...) In addition to a few individual seats from mostly employer-related lists, the Polish initiative is also worth mentioning, with just over eight percent of the vote However, since the numbers rarely speak for themselves, the question arises: What does all of this mean? (…) First of all, a lot of caution is required here. Anyone who only knows a little about the circumstances at Tesla in Grünheide knows that this employer is prepared to do a lot to keep IG Metall in check in the works council (…) However, if the current election result remains, then it will definitely be a defeat for IG Metall, as it will result in a subsequent majority through coalition processes with other lists is almost impossible. But defeat is not the same as defeat and this defeat needs to be viewed in a differentiated manner.
    This implies first acknowledging that there is definitely success to be reported in this defeat. Although IG Metall has fewer seats on the works council, it has very likely lost few individual votes due to the increased voter turnout compared to the last election. This shows that IG Metall has done good work on site. (…)
    At the same time, however, when you look at the nationwide IG Metall, you have to soberly realize that anything more than this contrarian cyclicality at Tesla would have been a small miracle. Instead of at least taking a publicly loud and noticeable stance to counter the increasing job losses and thus membership losses in its core industries, IG Metall is strangely absent. Here is an interview with an IG Metall board member. A small initiative with employers there. There's a pinch of industrial electricity price technocracy. Again and again appeals for confidence based on economic psychology. In addition, everything but no clear edge against the AfD. That is far too little. Especially when it comes to Tesla. Tesla is not an industrial company like any other. Tesla is one of the aggressive tech union busters who - think of Amazon too - are working towards an ultra-liberal world and have so far eaten unions for breakfast. (…) In order to stand up to such an overwhelming opponent, a very special union would be needed, and IG Metall is the opposite of that. Even a success in this works council election would very likely only have been a Pyrrhic victory because Tesla would soon have struck back massively. In the light of things, IG Metall in its current state doesn't even have to compete against Elon Musk unless it wants to lose anyway. (…)
    It would still be wrong to end this text so critically. Simply because I only briefly mentioned the heroes of this works council election once. But the union-oriented Tesla workers and also the IG Metall full-time employees in Grünheide deserve more than that. They deserve respect, applause and thanks for their commitment in this environment. Not least because the workers are prepared to sacrifice their jobs and livelihoods. And perhaps they draw strength from a quote from Paolo Coelho. It reads: “Defeats are part of every person’s life. Just not for the lives of cowards."" Comment by Toni Richter (pseudonym) in ak724 from March 17, 2026 
  • See also the dossier:Works council elections in 2026 from March 1st to May 31st – already cast brown shadows ahead
• Uproar at the BR meeting at Tesla in Grünheide: Works council close to management accuses an IG Metall representative of illegal recordings - criminal charges from both sides as a ("rigged") highlight of the election campaign? 
  • Works council election: Dirty election campaign at Tesla – IG Metall is preparing a lawsuit against Tesla for obstructing union work
    “IG Metall wants to have the majority in the works council at the Tesla factory in Grünheide - there is a heated argument in advance
    “The nerves are on edge,” said journalist Nina Scholz at a panel discussion on how to deal with Tesla’s anti-union policies, which took place on Monday evening in Helle Panke. The works council election will take place at the Tesla Gigafactory in Grünheide from March 2nd to 4th. For the educational organization of the Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung, it is considered “the most important trade union dispute in Germany” this year. (…)
    On February 10, plant manager André Thierig claimed that an IG Metall union secretary had secretly recorded a works council meeting. Thierig filed a criminal complaint and called the police, who actually arrived at the factory. IG Metall angrily rejected the accusation, spoke of a “smear campaign” and, on February 17, filed a criminal complaint against Thierig for defamation. They don't want to allow Tesla to get away with this "attack on democracy at work." Four years after the start of production, pay, working conditions and the treatment of employees must finally improve, according to IG Metall. “If a company fights co-determination and union work so aggressively, we will defend ourselves with all means possible,” explained Otto. The union also announced that it would prepare a lawsuit against Tesla for obstructing union work.
    Journalist Nina Scholz also found that Tesla is an anti-union company. The expert on labor disputes at tech companies shared the podium in Hellen Panke with Bundestag member Cem Ince (Left), who is also a member of the IG Metall trust body management at Volkswagen Salzgitter. According to Ince, there were toxic conditions at Tesla. "The industrial dispute is being waged by the company using all possible means." Tesla promises higher wages and fewer working hours and therefore does not consider a collective agreement necessary. But you shouldn't trust Tesla. “It is important to have works council members in the background that you can rely on,” says Ince. And if IG Metall achieves a majority in the works council, it can also enforce a collective agreement, which is important as protection against arbitrariness and as security in difficult times.
    Jannes Bojert, head of IG Metall's Tesla project, was actually scheduled to speak, but he canceled his appearance at short notice. The reason is the legal disputes with Tesla. IG Metall said it wanted to hold back initially and thought it made more sense to concentrate on the substantive debate.
    The 60 or so people in the room still discussed passionately. It was also about the question of whether the rank and file needed to put more pressure on the executive floor of IG Metall…”Article by Darius Ossami from February 24, 2026 in ND online (“Works council election: Dirty election campaign at Tesla”)
  • Declaration of solidarity for co-determination at Tesla
    “Works councils from the entire IG Metall district of Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony show solidarity with their colleagues at the Tesla plant in Grünheide. Regarding the Tesla management's attacks on co-determination and union work, they explain: "With the police operation against an IG Metall employee, the Tesla management's attacks on co-determination and union work have reached a new dimension. We condemn this approach as an unacceptable and completely unacceptable attempt to influence the works council elections in a few weeks…”Press release from February 20, 2026 at IG Metall BBS 
  • Uproar at the meeting in Grünheide: Tesla has a union member picked up by security
    “At the Tesla factory in Brandenburg, the dispute in the works council election campaign escalates. An IG Metall representative is accused of secretly recording a meeting. The union speaks of a “smear campaign”. (…)
    The company's statement reached employees via circular email on Tuesday at 4:38 p.m. The message came from plant manager André Thierig personally. The message to the “Giga Berlin Team” is available to SPIEGEL. In his email, Thierig writes that an IG Metall representative attended the works council meeting as a guest and secretly recorded the meeting on his computer. He was caught by “an attentive works council member”. The police who were called confiscated the computer. Thierig announced that he had filed a criminal complaint against the IG Metall representative…”Article by Timo Schober from February 11, 2026 in Spiegel online 
  • Tesla management starts smear campaign
    “Shortly before 5 p.m. today, Tesla factory manager André Thierig sent an email to all Tesla employees at the factory in Grünheide. In it he claims that a union secretary from IG Metall recorded today's works council meeting and thereby committed a criminal offense.
    The group "IG Metall - Tesla Workers GFBB" in the Tesla works council said: "This claim is a blatant and calculated lie. In reality, the following has happened: Since the last works council election, we as IG Metall - Tesla Workers have invited one of our union secretaries to every works council meeting. At today's works council meeting, a works council member from the employers' faction suddenly claimed that our colleague from IG Metall was recording the meeting with his laptop.
    The rest seemed like a set-up game to us: the works council chairwoman did not give her colleague the opportunity to refute the allegations. She immediately interrupted the meeting, called plant security and later the police, who confiscated the laptop to clarify the allegations. When we accompanied our colleague from the factory after interviewing witnesses, Tesla's own cameraman was already waiting in front of the door and taking photos. A few hours later, plant manager Thierig exploited the alleged incident in an email to the workforce. (…)
    Our opinion is: This “incident” is an attempt to create a scandal for the election campaign.”
    Jan Otto, head of the IG Metall district of Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony: "We are used to tough election campaigns. Employers are also afraid of IG Metall majorities in the works council. But here all measure and apparently all democratic awareness has been lost. (…) We are ready to take legal action against those responsible for this smear campaign.”“Press release from the IG Metall district of Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony from February 10, 2026 
  • Because something has to change here: List 1 – IG Metall Tesla Workers.Video fromIG Metall @ Tesla on YouTube 
• Polish employees at Tesla in Grünheide: Hard working conditions, possibility of blackmail through temporary work, hurdles for co-determination
  “Since 2022, Faire Mobility has set up a consulting office in Grünheide, near the Tesla factory in Brandenburg. Polish-speaking employees who work at Tesla are offered a first point of contact here. Fair Mobility also supports IG Metall Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony in campaigns to address Polish-speaking Tesla employees. This opens up access in particular to colleagues who work as temporary workers. (…)
  Around 11,000 people from over 100 nations work here, between 1,000 and 2,000 are Polish. Most of them come to work from Poland every day. The working conditions at Tesla are tough, the number of injuries and accidents at work is well above the industry average, as is the number of sick days. In addition, the political culture in the “Gigafactory” is characterized by anti-union and union busting. Since the factory was founded, Faire Mobility has been offering advice to Polish employees at the Fangschleuse train station, in the immediate vicinity of the factory. Several hundred have since made contact. The findings gained over the last three and a half years show that the situation of Polish employees differs in some respects from the generally difficult conditions under which Tesla employees work in Grünheide. (…)
  Poles are the largest non-German employee group. Many work in body production (Body in White) and final assembly (General Assembly). When the Brandenburg factory started production in 2022 with around 5,000 employees, Tesla initially relied almost exclusively on permanent positions. That changed at the end of 2022, when the company increasingly introduced temporary work. While previously Polish employees were mostly employed directly and often taken on after the probationary period, today the majority work in the factory through temporary employment agencies. Even though Tesla has equal pay for temporary workers from day one, these employees are particularly under pressure; You can unsubscribe at any time. The procedure is not transparent for those affected. Polish temporary workers repeatedly report that it is only at the start of their shift that they realize that they have been logged out and are no longer allowed to enter the factory. (…)
  The desire to be taken over by Tesla, combined with the possibility of short-term cancellation by the company, means that temporary workers are under particular pressure to perform and conform. In order to avoid being targeted by their superiors, many Polish temporary workers come to work even when they are actually sick. Tesla itself states that the sickness rate among temporary workers is only around two percent[xii] - and therefore only a fraction of the sickness rate among permanent employees. The precarious situation as temporary workers also means that many Polish employees hesitate to stand up for their rights.In addition, temporary workers often have to use up their vacation days during bridging days or unforeseen production stops - or hours are deducted from their time account. This limits your right to rest and vacation. In 2024, the factory had to pause production several times, including because of an arson attack on the power supply, in the case of the arson attack for a full two weeks. While the permanent employees were given paid leave for this, there were temporary workers in the Faire Mobility consultancy who had the second week deducted from their time account or had to take vacation. (…)
  The language barrier does not play a major role in the work process, although it does play a major role in personnel discussions, for example in the event of a sick report, and also in relations with IG Metall and the works council, where there has only been a permanent Polish member since July 2025. Many people seeking advice also complain about non-transparent promotion criteria. It is not clear when workers will be promoted to the next salary level. Polish employees express the suspicion that obedience and sympathy from superiors are crucial. (…)
  Since mid-August 2025, a new initiative by Polish employees has been running at Tesla, the “Polska Inicjatywa GIGA Berlin”. She has sent flyers calling on Polish colleagues to organize themselves in order to create a “real Polish voice” in the next works council election in spring 2026.[xiv] In the flyer she primarily criticizes language barriers, the company's poor information policy, a lack of opportunities for advancement and the additional costs that Polish employees incur due to the long journey. She calls for more Poles in management positions, further training for Polish employees and generally greater consideration of Polish employees (“We won't bite the hand that feeds us - but we won't be quiet either!”). The initiative strikes a critical tone towards IG Metall, saying the union would create conflicts and only think about its own interests. It is currently not possible to predict how popular the initiative will be and how it will ultimately fit into the network between IG Metall and management-related lists…” Findings from Faire Mobility’s consulting work –Background paper from January 15, 2026 on the Faire Mobility website 
• German rapper Kool Savas helps Tesla factory manager in the fight against the “red danger” IG Metall: “Are you satisfied with Tesla as an employer?” 
  • Widely criticized appearance at the Tesla factory leads to rapper Kool Savas distancing himself:"I stand with the workers. I stand with the unions"
    
    • Solidarity circle Tesla welcomes Kool Savas' distancing from the appearance at the "Giga Event"
      “The solidarity circle against bullying and oppression at Tesla wrote to the rap artist Kool Savas. The occasion is his appearance at the so-called “Giga Event” on December 9th at the Tesla factory in Grünheide. (…) Against this background, the Solidarity Circle has asked the artist to donate all or part of his fee from the performance. The donation is intended to support colleagues who have come under pressure due to their union activities at Tesla, as well as activists from the area around the plant who are campaigning against environmental destruction and for democratic rights.
      The Solidarity Circle points out that financial repression - for example by refusing to continue paying wages in the event of illness - is a central means of breaking resistance. Public relations, advice and concrete support for those affected are hardly possible without donations…”Press release from December 23, 2025 documented on rf-news.de 
    • After his controversial appearance at the Tesla Christmas party in Grünheide, the “King of Rap” is being criticized. Now Kool Savas has spoken out himself.
      “…The fact that Kool Savas appeared at the Tesla Christmas party brought him a lot of criticism on social media. Last Friday he spoke out himself via Instagram. In a story he writes that he doesn't want to be taken over. "I stand on the side of the workers. I stand on the side of the unions," said Rapper. He didn't know that there were also distributions against unions at the event. Until now, Kool Savas has been known more for a left-wing attitude. According to his own statement, the topic of “class struggle” has accompanied him since he was a child. His father, a left-wing activist, was imprisoned in Turkey for over five years. He himself has also attracted attention in the past for statements from the left-wing spectrum; he once tweeted that he could vote for “The Left”.
      Many fans are all the more irritated by the rapper's Tesla appearance. On Reddit, one user writes: “Tesla’s attitude towards workers and unions should be known to Savas.”…”Article by Jerrit Schloßer from December 22, 2025 in the Süddeutsche Zeitung online (“The Tesla scandal by Kool Savas”)
    • Controversial appearance at the Tesla factory: Is Kool Savas a worker traitor?
      “After a performance in Grünheide, the rap legend was criticized. Tesla opponents are now calling on Savas to support workers at the factory. (…)A Tesla employee reported to the taz that Kool Savas' appearance was completely unexpected. All employees were released from the assembly line around midday; a surprise would await them when they were sent to the company's “Gigadome” event hall.
      Elon chants
      “Everyone thought Elon was coming to visit us,” the worker recalled. But instead of the company boss, the self-proclaimed king of German rap got out of the Cybertruck that had driven up to the stage. "The music was super loud, it was midday and everyone was still in a working mood. It was a bit strange," recalls the worker. In addition, hardly anyone in the heavily international workforce knew the rapper, who became famous in the early 2000s with his highly sexist battle rap. (…) The performance also caused rejection in the hip-hop scene. “Honorless Kek,” commented a Reddit user in the GermanRap forum. “King Kool Savas has reached the final stage of sell-out,” another…”Article by Jonas Wahmkow from December 29th, 2025 in the taz online 
  • Tesla boss fights with Kool Savas for sovereignty of interpretation in Grünheide
    “Before the works council election, Tesla factory manager André Thierig continues to stir up sentiment against the IG Metall union. He gets support from a German rap legend. The surprise guest rolled onto the stage in a Cybertruck: Rapper Kool Savas made every effort to fit in during his appearance at the US electric car manufacturer Tesla's factory in Grünheide. Savas specially rewritten his lyrics, rapped about Teslas instead of Benzers in his song “AMG” and even called for “Elon, Elon” chants. Special times require special measures. The private concert for Tesla employees comes at a time when Elon Musk's company is fighting more than ever for sovereignty in its German factory. Works council elections are coming up. Management is afraid of employee representation led by IG Metall.
    Last week, factory manager André Thierig arranged an internal event at short notice in the new Giga Dome on the factory premises. Employees from all factory shifts were invited on Tuesday. Before Thierig announced a four percent wage increase, he brought Savaş Yurderi, better known as German rap icon Kool Savas, onto the stage. (…) At the end, Kool Savas shouted to an applauding crowd: “Are you satisfied with Tesla as an employer?” (…) Plant manager Thierig was happy and went into raptures: "I don't think there are any light poles or anything like that in Berlin today. Everything in Grünheide. For a really big party." And he added: "Cool, even crazy. So if there's one thing we can do, it's cool party setups." And Tesla can do much more. Thierig reported on a recent visit to locations in the USA, where he was able to see “into the future”. He is certain that “one or two things” will “spill over here to Berlin in the foreseeable future“…”Article by Sönke Iwersen and Michael Verfürden from December 6th, 2025 in the Handelsblatt online , see also:
  • Tesla against the red danger – anti-union sentiment in the run-up to the 2026 works council elections
    “Two quiz questions to get you started: A) What do Amazon and Tesla have in common? B) And what does Elon Musk have in common with Henry Ford? A) Both tech giants and game changers generally do not negotiate with unions and brazenly claim that this is their right. B) Both are or were declared fascists. (...) Principal hostility towards trade unions is a necessary criterion for fascism - unlike hatred of Jews, by the way. A union-friendly fascism is unthinkable, but a philo-Semitic or even anti-anti-Semitic fascism is. Dismantling independent unions is always and always a first goal. Whether in Spain, South Africa, Chile or Turkey. (…) On the other hand, hostility to trade unions is not a sufficient criterion for fascism: even in real socialism based on Marxist-Leninism, independent trade unions were not planned. However, for other reasons. (We don't share them.) (…)
    Tesla's anti-union sentiment is an ideological dogma, or even an anti-communist fetish. This is no longer about economic rationality. As the richest man in the world, Elon Musk has the resources to fiercely defend his paranoid, megalomaniacal worldview. But perhaps this giant also only stands on feet of clay.”Contribution by Jessica Reisner and Elmar Wigand from December 8, 2025 on labor injustice in Germany 
• Tesla is again “voluntarily” increasing salaries in Grünheide by 4 percent – ​​according to IG Metall, a remaining gap of up to 35 percent to the tariff level 
  • IG Metall welcomes wage increases at Tesla and points out that there is a large gap to wage levels
    “IG Metall district manager Jan Otto welcomed the wage increase for Tesla employees announced today and at the same time pointed out the large gap to the standard wages in the auto industry. "The wage increase is good news for the colleagues who keep production high day after day under difficult conditions. However, there remains a large gap to the collective bargaining standards of other car factories." (…) Unfortunately, Tesla managers repeatedly try to deceive their own employees and the public with misleading comparisons. The Tesla management badmouths the collective agreement by using its lowest pay group. In automobile plants, the lowest two salary groups are not assigned at all. Tesla management knows this very well. There would be no other explanation for the fact that she is using all means to defend herself against the introduction of the collective agreement in the Gigafactory. If you take into account the longer working hours at Tesla, the gap to the collective agreement is 30 to 35 percent.
    In addition, unilateral announcements of wage increases by a company management do not replace a collective agreement that is negotiated on an equal footing and in which much more is regulated...”Press release from December 2nd, 2025 from the IG Metall district of Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony and more specifically:
  • Tesla pays employees in Grünheide four percent more wages
    "Elon Musk's company is increasing salaries at the gigafactory in Grünheide. Germany boss André Thierig sees this as a success in his fight against IG Metall.
    The wage will be increased retroactively to December 1st, plant manager André Thierig announced at an internal event on Tuesday. Several people present confirmed this to the Handelsblatt.
    There is no collective agreement at Tesla. In the past, management had promised to review the salaries in Grünheide annually and adjust them in line with the market. The company last raised salaries in November 2024, also by four percent. (…)
    A few days ago, in an email to his employees, Thierig branded competitors Ford and Volkswagen, among others, as chilling examples of the influence of the industrial union. Jobs are being cut everywhere, except at Tesla. "Why is that? Because we are different. Because we can be different. Because IG Metall does not have a say in our decisions," Thierig wrote to the approximately 11,000 employees. “Without a collective agreement, we can concentrate on ourselves without having to make a bad compromise with the entire industry.”…”Article by Sönke Iwersen and Michael Verfürden from December 2nd, 2025 in the Handelsblatt online 
• Tesla has to pay Christmas bonuses: 3,500 employees are putting pressure on them
  “Around 3,500 Tesla employees have signed the demand of the IG Metall faction in the Tesla works council for a Christmas bonus. This Wednesday, the group “IG Metall – Tesla Workers” handed over the signed Christmas cards to the management of the car factory in Grünheide. “This great participation is a huge success for the IG Metall Group in the Tesla works council,” explained IG Metall district manager Jan Otto. "The workforce has made their position very clear. Now it's management's turn."The group “IG Metall – Tesla Workers” had been collecting signatures at the plant since mid-September. She also distributed Christmas cards with the demand that, like other car manufacturers in Germany, Tesla should also be paid a Christmas bonus. She mentioned a contribution of at least 1,500 euros as a starting point…”Press release from IG Metall BBS from November 12th, 2025 
• The work of IG Metall in the Tesla plant in Grünheide seems to be fruitful: The plant manager complains about the works council election: “Be careful, where are you making your mark?” 
  • Who is afraid of IG Metall?
    “IG Metall's work at the Tesla factory in Grünheide, Brandenburg appears to be bearing fruit. On Monday, the Handelsblatt quoted secret audio recordings from the last staff meeting, where the plant manager lambasted the union. “It annoys me incredibly, but this unspeakable conflict with IG Metall is simply a very present topic,” said André Thierig. In view of the upcoming works council elections, he “brought a few things with him” to “educate” the employees. According to the Handelsblatt, Thierig said that IG Metall “deals with issues that don’t suit us.” Employees should be careful, “where do you put your cross? That you know exactly what it stands for when you vote for IG Metall." (…)
    IG Metall itself has not yet exhausted all its possibilities. The new head of the IG Metall Berlin/Brandenburg/Saxony district, Jan Otto, said in a press conference on Monday that they would not have the right to speak at works meetings, even though it was legally possible, and promised: After the works council elections, the union would shift into higher gear. Above all, this means speaking more to your colleagues. But the question of abuse of office could also be pursued more closely. Impeachment proceedings initiated by IG Metall are currently ongoing against the works council chairwoman, who is close to management. Otto emphasized that the majority of the workforce voted for IG Metall in all secret votes. A recently launched postcard campaign for a Christmas bonus of 1,500 euros for each of the 11,000 employees has so far even been supported by name from 2,000 colleagues…”Report in the young world from October 9th, 2025 
  • Plant manager in Grünheide complains about IG Metall before the works council election
    "A secret audio recording shows the manager speaking out against the union in front of the assembled workforce. The angry speech by Elon Musk's governor in Grünheide could have consequences…”Article by Sönke Iwersen, Michael Verfürden and Volker Votsmeier from October 6th, 2025 in the Handelsblatt online but behind paywall, see also:
  • Tesla factory manager annoyed: Before the works council elections, management and IG Metall are ready for conflict
    “Pay attention, where are you making your cross?” André Thierig is head of the Tesla factory in Grünheide, Brandenburg. At a works meeting he warned employees not to vote for IG Metall in the upcoming works council elections. The “Handelsblatt”, which has a recording of his speech, quoted some of his statements at the beginning of the week, which can be seen as an attempt to directly influence.Thierig himself sees his anti-IG Metall tirade as “education” and “information” that is necessary so that the employees know exactly what they were voting for if they voted for IG Metall. “It annoys me incredibly, but this unspeakable conflict with IG Metall is simply a very present topic,” said Thierig. And further: “You deal with topics that don’t suit us.”
    These topics are: a collective agreement, continued payment of wages in the event of illness or the demand for Christmas bonuses. For the plant manager, these are all red flags. This corresponds to the attitude of his master, Elon Musk. The Tesla boss is himself a notorious enemy of unions and tries worldwide to prevent any democratic participation in his company.Plant manager Thierig also doesn't want to conduct collective bargaining with IG Metall: "We don't negotiate with the union. We have never done that and we don't plan to do that in the future either." He also pointed out that union membership does not protect anyone from dismissal. And he followed up with a threat: "Tesla does better without unions than with them. Anyone who always positions themselves against it and creates a bad mood doesn't belong with us," continued Thierig. (…)
    Jan Otto is the new district manager of IG Metall in Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony. He announced that he wanted to increase the pressure on Tesla. With a view to the factory management's refusal attitude, Otto said: "You can make wonderful deals with me. But if you don't want to do them, then you'll get hit hard." (…)Regarding Thierig's announcement that he would not negotiate with the union, IG Metall district manager Otto said: "Sooner or later we will have a collective agreement at Tesla." In the upcoming works council elections, the union wants to win a majority of mandates “so that the works council finally represents the interests of the workforce and no longer those of management“.”Article by Lars Mörking in the UZ from October 10, 2025 
• Trial for criticizing Tesla on October 6th at the Frankfurt (Oder) regional court: Help the Grünheide citizens' initiative in the fight against Tesla
  “Trial for criticism of Tesla + 6.10.25 Court trial against the Association for Nature and Landscape in Brandenburg e.V. (VNLB)/ Citizens' Initiative Grünheide Frankfurt (Oder).
  The main hearing between the mayor of Neuenhagen near Berlin, Ansgar Scharnke and the VNLB begins at the Frankfurt (Oder) regional court on Monday. The Grünheide citizens' initiative and the VNLB that emerged from it have been protesting for years against the location of the Tesla factory in the water protection area in Grünheide and its consequences. Most recently, they took their protest to the meetings of the Strausberg-Erkner water association. There they accused Mr. Scharnke of having played a key role in negotiating a new supply contract with Tesla without a mandate. Because of this statement, Scharnke initiated an injunction against the VNLB, which will be heard on Monday. (…) The VNLB expects to win the lawsuit. "We have affidavits from politicians, representatives of the Strausberg-Erkner water association as well as legal advisors from the water association and numerous documents that support our assessment. We go in and out of here with our heads held high. And we will continue to protest for our drinking water and against Tesla in the future," explains Manu Hoyer.
  The public hearing will take place on Monday, October 6th, at 1 p.m. in the Frankfurt (Oder) regional court at Müllroser Chaussee 55 in room 304. The alliance has invited people to meet in front of the courthouse at 12 p.m. and then go into the courtroom together and support the trial in solidarity.”Turn off the call and information at Tesla 
• Water for the population and not for industry! Rally against the secret contract between Tesla and the Strausberg-Erkner water association on September 24th.
  “The new water contract with Tesla has been agreed, but it is still unclear what it says and what exactly applies. That's why we need more protest! For the disclosure of the contract, fair and sustainable water distribution. More drinking water is already planned for the next few years than is allowed to be funded. Nevertheless, water should now be distributed again for industrial settlements. We demand: water first for social affairs, housing and nature! Water is a human right and the basis of our lives and is not there for the profits of corporations!…”Call on Tesla to turn off the tap! to the rally on September 24th. from 1 p.m. at Wasserwerk 1 in Strausberg, from 2 p.m. public part of the association meeting with the opportunity to ask questions. (You must register with the WSE in advance for the session.)
  • See more infoat the Grünheide citizens' initiative 
• Tesla: Works councils and IG Metall demand: Christmas bonus for all Tesla employees!
  “The IG Metall faction in the Tesla works council has called on the company to pay all employees a Christmas bonus of at least 1,500 euros. “We deserve this,” explained the “IG Metall – Tesla Workers”. From today onwards, trade unionists throughout the Grünheide plant will be collecting signatures on Christmas postcards to show the plant management that the workforce supports this demand. IG Metall district manager Jan Otto: "For all car manufacturers in Germany, an extra payment at Christmas is of course part of it - but not for Tesla. That has to change. We are putting pressure on you."
  IG Metall - Tesla Workers (IG Metall group in the Tesla works council): "2025 hasn't been a walk in the park for us in the Gigafactory so far. Despite all the fun we often have in our teams, many regularly go beyond their limits to keep production running. We delivered what we could. Day after day, week after week. We produced the success of our Gigafactory. That's why there has to be more in it for all of us at the end of the year: We deserve it. We earn the profits, so we are entitled to our fair share.”…”Press release from September 15, 2025 from the IG Metall district of Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony 
• “Polska Inicjatywa GIGA Berlin”: List for Polish Tesla colleagues in Grünheide will apparently compete with IG Metall in the works council elections in 2026
  "In the only European factory of the US electric car manufacturer Tesla in Grünheide, a new initiative is forming among Polish employees. The group "Polska Inicjatywa GIGA Berlin" is calling on compatriots to become more organized. On flyers, the organizers state that their goal is to create a “truly Polish voice” in the next works council election. “We won’t bite the hand that feeds us – but we won’t be still either!” According to the company, people from more than 150 nations are employed in Grünheide; The largest group of foreign employees are Poles. According to the leaflets that the initiative is currently distributing on the factory premises, there are said to be more than 2,000. In total, around 11,000 people work in the factory. (…) “Why should only Germans sit on Tesla’s works council?” says the initiative’s leaflets. “We don’t need middlemen to tell us what’s good for us.” Only with Poles on the board would “our existence at Tesla be visible.” The leaflets show a stylized white eagle, the heraldic animal of Poland, which directly addresses the employees in Polish. The initiative promotes this with slogans such as: “An eagle cannot be lured with sausage.” (…) Specifically, the initiative criticizes the high costs of commuting from Poland, language barriers in the factory, a lack of access to information and a lack of opportunities for advancement. The organizers therefore want to advocate for additional training and more Poles in leadership positions. The initiative not only targets the German management of Tesla boss and US billionaire Elon Musk, but also against IG Metall. Unions would block development instead of helping.“They create conflict, slow down change and, above all, think about their own interests.” (…) IG Metall currently has 16 seats with its list, making it the largest individual faction. Four other lists, including that of works council chairwoman Michaela Schmitz, represent 23 seats. Internally, these works councils have since been called “Faction 23” – and form a hard front against the 16 representatives of IG Metall. Both sides accuse each other of not acting in the interests of those who elected them. The next works council election is scheduled for March 2026. However, IG Metall recently expressed the suspicion on flyers that the non-union works councils could initiate the election earlier. With the “Polska Inicjatywa GIGA Berlin” another group is now getting into position.”
  Originally published bylabournet.de
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