Tesla seeks Sweden court order in protracted labour union conflict By Reuters

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Tesla (NASDAQ:) has requested a court docket in Sweden to make sure that the nation’s Transport Company gives entry to licence plates which are at the moment blocked by postal staff in a wider labour battle, a court docket official mentioned on Tuesday.

The U.S. electrical car maker headed by billionaire Elon Musk is on the centre of a dispute in Sweden over its refusal to signal a collective bargaining settlement and thus enable a labour union to barter on behalf of staff.

The battle started when a bunch of Tesla mechanics went on strike in October of 2023, and greater than a dozen unions have since introduced solidarity actions, together with dockworkers, electricians, upkeep crews, postal staff and cleaners.

After shedding a number of appeals in different courts, Tesla has now turned to the Karlstad administrative court docket to pressure the Transport Company to offer licence plates for patrons of its autos by different means than postal supply, an official on the court docket mentioned.

Tesla didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Whereas the postal blockade makes entry to licence plates harder, Swedish media has reported that Tesla has discovered methods to avoid the unions by asking automotive patrons to order plates themselves.

The Transport Company mentioned it might await the result of the case.

Sweden’s ST labour union mentioned Tesla ought to adapt to Sweden’s labour market practices.

“We don’t consider it’s an excessive amount of to ask for giant worldwide corporations to make sure changes to the methods of various nations,” it mentioned.

Tesla has mentioned it gives pretty much as good, or higher, phrases than these demanded by the union, and the corporate has discovered methods to remain in operation, together with by using non-union employees.