The electric car manufacturer, Tesla, has faced industrial action in Sweden since October. This developed initially from a protest by mechanics against a refusal by the Tesla subsidiary in Sweden to recognise their union.
They were joined by dockworkers who refused to offload cars in Sweden’s ports and electricians who declined to service the vehicles.
Most recently, postal workers refused to deliver licence plates for the cars.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk termed this ‘insane’. Musk is widely regarded as harbouring anti-union sentiments, and his companies have been resistant to unionisation.
Sweden’s workforce is heavily unionised, at a rate of around nine out of ten workers.
Sweden’s IF Metall Union commented: ‘This is about good wages, good pensions and good insurance for all our members who work at Tesla.’
It added that Tesla’s conduct was a violation of ‘basic principles in the Swedish labour market.’