Hold on to your steering wheels, Tesla's entangled in a labor saga that’s got Sweden revved up more than a midnight summer rally. A saga so heated, it’s threatening to leave Tesla’s Swedish operations in big trouble.
Swedish Workers vs. Elon Musk: The Epic Battle Unfolds
In modern day Nordic saga, Swedish workers, backed by robust labor unions, initiated a strike against serial entrepreneur Elon Musk's EV juggernaut, Tesla. Picture this: 130 mechanics dramatically walking off their jobs at 10 Swedish garages on October 27. Why? Because Musk said no to signing a collective bargaining agreement with the mighty Swedish union IF Metall. Musk, known for his aversion to organized labor, now faces a formidable challenge from the nearly 90% of Sweden's workers covered by collective agreements.
Solidarity Strikes and Trash Wars: Tesla Faces Nordic Resistance
The initial walk-out was just the opening scene. Since then, multiple Swedish unions have joined in solidarity strikes, turning the saga into a continental showdown:
- Tesla’s Swedish vendor, Hydro Extrusions, says 'no' to crafting components.
- Unions representing painters, cleaners, and charging station service personnel lay down their tools.
- Postal workers refuse to deliver license plates, leading to Tesla’s lawsuit against the Swedish postal service and legal skirmishes.
- The Swedish Transport Workers’ Union announced it will stop picking up trash at all Tesla workspaces.
It’s Going International
But wait, there's more drama. Dockworkers in Denmark are steering clear of unloading Teslas, while unions in Finland and Norway prepare for a business boycott. Investors, not thrilled with Musk's Nordic troubles, have sent strongly-worded letters to Tesla’s board, and PensionDanmark and Denmark’s teacher pension fund have ditched a cool $100 million in Tesla stock. Tesla's response? Hiring a "Nordics public policy" expert.
While Musk juggles the Nordic uproar, he’s also got thunderclouds gathering across the Atlantic. The United Auto Workers (UAW) have revealed plans to organize Tesla and the ‘entire non-unionized auto sector’ in the US.
Tesla's Traffic Tangle: Road Woes in the US
As if labor troubles weren't enough, Tesla has hit another roadblock — literally. A recent survey has revealed that Tesla drivers have the worst accident rate among 30 car brands in the US, clocking in at 24 accidents per 1,000 drivers. The report remains tight-lipped on why Tesla drivers are prone to accidents, leaving us to speculate. Perhaps Teslas are just too tempting for risky drivers?
BMW drivers snag the top spot for DUIs, while Tesla owners dish out low scores for long-term vehicle dependability, thanks to pesky glitches. The NHTSA's probing Tesla’s 2023 Model Y SUV after wheels mysteriously detached during driving, affecting up to 120,000 vehicles in the US and safety concerns around Tesla's Autopilot feature trigger a recall of over 2 million US vehicles. Phew! Time to take a breath.
Overall, Tesla emerges as the not-so-proud brand of the second-worst drivers in the US. Elon Musk, the man who sent rockets into space, might need a new set of wheels for navigating this terrestrial storm.
