The long running battle between IF Metall and Elon Musk’s Tesla in Sweden has escalated following the decision by the electricians union Seko not to connect Tesla’s newly built e-vehicle charging stations up to the Sweden’s electricity grid. Tesla is planning to build 35 new charging stations over the coming years
Since early March newly built Tesla charing stations have remained out of operation.
Seko is supporting IF Metall over the companies refusal to agree to a collective agreement for Tesla mechanics – in line with Swedish employment law.
“There will be no power at the charging stations as long as this conflict continues” , said Ann-Charlotte Kling, the chair of Seko Södra (Seko South) union. Seko is a member of GF which conducts collective bargaining in the construction sector.
Tesla had been able to bypass trade unions blockades – but the boycotting of new charging stations will prove difficult for the e-vehicle company to circumvent. In Sundsvall, where Tesla recently built a new charging station which is not in use municipal electricity company Sundsvall Elnät AB owns the electrical grid, all the lines and all the infrastructure which supply the electricity to the city.