🚗🤝 Tesla Strike in Sweden: When Swedish Labor Meet American Management
⬇️ Pidgin | ⬇️ ⬇️ English
Aloha gang! Get some interesting kine news from Sweden ’bout da workers at Tesla. Dey wen walk off their jobs, not ’cause dey against da mission of da American company or its famous boss. Nah, dey just like Tesla for accept da Swedish way of doing business.
In Sweden, dey get dis ting called da Swedish Model, yeah? It’s been da way of life for decades, where employers and employees work together for make sure everybody benefits from da company’s profit. But, da four technicians who wen’ strike on Oct. 27, dey say dey been facing one “typical U.S. model” with six-day workweeks, gotta do overtime, and one unclear system for how you get promotions.
“Just work, work, work,” as Janis Kuzma, one of da strikers, wen’ say.
Da union representing da Tesla workers, IF Metall, neva say exactly how many of da company’s 130 technicians wen’ walk out. Could be just few dozen. Da company’s 10 service centers still open, though.
Dis strike, now in its third month, is causing ripples all ova da Nordic region. At least 15 oddah unions wen’ jump in for try force Tesla for negotiate one collective bargaining agreement dat would set wages and benefits dat reflect what’s normal in Sweden. Daniel Ives, one analyst at Wedbush Securities, say dis dispute is turning into one “important lightning-rod issue” globally for Tesla and Elon Musk.
Polls show da majority of Swedes support da strike, seeing it as one way for defend da country’s way of doing business. Most people in Sweden work under one labor agreement, and strikes not dat common. But, as da walkout continues, get questions about whether Sweden’s reliance on labor-management agreements might be holding back businesses from being more flexible and agile.
Da Tesla owners in Sweden, ’bout 50,000 of dem, see da walkout more like one power move by one rich and politically influential union.
Mr. Musk, who got ’bout 127,000 employees around da world, been pushing back against efforts for unionize.
Tesla no wen’ comment on da case. At one service center in Malmo dis month, workers wearing Tesla shirts busy moving cars in and out. Da strikers on da picket line say some of dem working look like recent hires.
Some Tesla owners finding trouble for get someone for change their tires for winter, real important in Sweden dis time of year.
But IF Metall no tink da walkout been more than one small kine nuisance for Tesla, so dey calling for support from oddah unions.
Unions in Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden all rallying around IF Metall. Dat means dockworkers stop unloading Teslas; union members at repair shops no more service Teslas; postal workers no deliver Tesla mail, including license plates; and electricians no going fix Tesla charging stations.
Still early for tell how much dis hurting Tesla. Registration numbers for new vehicles no show da strike affecting sales. Tesla’s Model Y could become da most popular vehicle in Sweden for 2023, with more than 14,000 cars sold through October.
Da company also found one way around da postal workers’ blockade by getting license plates mailed directly to customers.
Some potential buyers worried that despite Tesla’s “business as usual” promise, dey might not get their cars in da promised five to eight weeks.
“I don’t want to commit yet,” said John Khademi, one Tesla owner who decided for wait and see how things go.
Da solidarity strikes proving divisive. Some businesses with no direct stake in da walkout, like independent auto repair shops, losing business ’cause dey get agreements with IF Metall dat make dem turn away anything related to Tesla. Under Swedish law, if one union calls a solidarity strike, its members gotta follow.
“Then those companies lose a lot of money and dey really frustrated,” said Mattias Dahl, deputy vice president of da Confederation of Swedish Enterprise.
Some tink these actions going too far. “There is no longer equality here,” said PM Nilsson, chief executive of Timbro, a Swedish think tank.
He point to Spotify, founded in Stockholm, as anoddah company dat operates in Sweden without one collective agreement, just like Tesla.
“Companies in da Swedish labor market should be allowed to exist without a collective agreement,” Mr. Nilsson said.
Neither side showing signs of backing down. IF Metall, representing workers in oddah heavy industries, got plenty kala for support da strike, offering 130 percent of pay to strikers. Tesla, valued at ’bout $817 billion, say dey offer wages and benefits equal to or bettah than those in a collective agreement, including stock options.
Tesla showed dey ready for fight by suing both da Swedish agency responsible for car registrations and da
postal company afta license plates got held up. Da lawsuits still going.
Collective bargaining, not da law, governs workplace conditions in Sweden. Da country no get statutory minimum wage. Strikes rare ’cause once a labor agreement in place, da union no can call one. Dis peace guarantee helps keep da number of strike days in Sweden one of da lowest in Europe.
Marie Nilsson, IF Metall leader for more than 40 years, recalls joining da picket line in 1995 against Toys “R” Us, da last major U.S. company dat rejected a collective agreement. But dis action against Tesla is da first time she called a strike.
So, das da story, braddahs and sistahs. Da Tesla strike in Sweden showing one real culture clash between Swedish labor and American management. Stay tuned for see how dis one going play out. 🚗🤝🇸🇪🇺🇸🔨
NOW IN ENGLISH
Tesla Strike in Sweden: A Clash of Cultures Between Swedish Labor and American Management 🚗🤝
Hello everyone! Here’s an intriguing story from Sweden about Tesla workers going on strike. It’s not because they’re against the mission of the American electric car company or its high-profile CEO. Instead, they’re advocating for Tesla to embrace the Swedish way of doing business.
In Sweden, there’s something called the Swedish Model, a long-standing approach to business. It’s about cooperation between employers and employees, ensuring mutual benefits from a company’s profits. However, the four technicians who went on strike on October 27th claim they’ve been subjected to what they describe as a “typical U.S. model,” including six-day workweeks, mandatory overtime, and an ambiguous system for promotions.
“Just work, work, work,” laments Janis Kuzma, one of the striking technicians.
The union representing Tesla workers, IF Metall, hasn’t disclosed how many of Tesla’s 130 technicians have joined the strike. It could be just a few dozen. Meanwhile, Tesla’s 10 service centers are still operational.
As the strike enters its third month, it’s making significant waves in the Nordic region. Over 15 other unions have joined the cause, trying to compel Tesla to agree to a collective bargaining agreement that aligns with industry standards in Sweden. Daniel Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, notes that this dispute is becoming a global focal point for Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, regarding union issues.
Most Swedes seem to support the strike, viewing it as a defense of their consensus-based business approach. In Sweden, nine out of ten people work under a labor agreement, and strikes are quite rare. However, as the strike drags on, some question whether Sweden’s reliance on labor-management agreements hampers business flexibility.
Among Sweden’s approximately 50,000 Tesla owners, some view the strike as a power play by a wealthy, politically influential union.
Elon Musk, who oversees a global workforce of about 127,000, has consistently pushed back against unionization efforts.
Tesla has declined to comment on the ongoing strike. At a service center in Malmo, workers in Tesla shirts were seen actively moving cars in and out. Strikers mention that some of those working appear to be new hires.
Some Tesla owners are reportedly struggling to find services like tire changes, essential for Swedish winters. 🌨️🚗
Seeking more impact, IF Metall has called for support from other unions. Solidarity actions from unions in Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden have included dockworkers halting the unloading of Teslas, independent repair shops refusing to service Tesla vehicles, postal workers stopping Tesla mail deliveries, and electricians vowing not to repair Tesla’s charging stations.
It’s still unclear how much these measures are affecting Tesla. So far, new vehicle registration numbers haven’t indicated a dip in sales — Tesla’s Model Y is on track to be Sweden’s most popular vehicle in 2023, with over 14,000 cars sold through October.
Tesla seems to have found a way around the postal workers’ blockade by having license plates mailed directly to customers.
Prospective buyers, however, remain cautious. John Khademi, a Tesla owner, has decided to delay ordering a new car, waiting to see the outcome of the strike.
The solidarity strikes have stirred controversy. Firms unrelated to the dispute, like independent auto repair shops, have lost business because of their collective agreements with IF Metall. Under Swedish law, union members must comply with a solidarity strike call.
Mattias Dahl, the deputy vice president of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, expresses the frustration of companies losing business due to the strike.
Critics argue that these solidarity actions are excessive. PM Nilsson, CEO of Timbro, a Swedish think tank, points to companies like Spotify, which operates in Sweden without a collective agreement, as another example of start-up culture clashing with traditional labor models.
The standoff continues with neither side showing signs of backing down. IF Metall is financially supporting the strikers with 130% of their pay. Tesla, valued at about $817 billion, claims its wages and benefits are on par or better than those under a collective agreement, including lucrative stock options.
Tesla’s determination is evident in its lawsuits against the Swedish vehicle registration agency and the postal company over the blockade of license plates.
In Sweden, workplace conditions are governed by collective bargaining, not statutory law. Strikes are rare because once a labor agreement is in place, unions cannot call for a strike. This peace guarantee has resulted in one of Europe’s lowest strike rates.
Marie Nilsson, a member of IF Metall for over 40 years and its leader since 2017, recalls supporting workers in a 1995 strike against Toys “R” Us, the last major U.S. company to reject a collective agreement in Sweden. However, the action against Tesla marks her first time calling for a strike.
So, that’s the story, folks. The Tesla strike in Sweden highlights a significant culture clash between Swedish labor practices and American management styles. Stay tuned to see how this unfolds. 🚗🤝🇸🇪🇺🇸🔨
