According to IG Metall, Tesla needs collective agreements for its employees as a basis for competitive wages in the automotive industry. These regulated wages, working hours, vacation and other standards, said Irene Schulz, district manager of IG Metall Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony, on Thursday of the German Press Agency. The background is a report by “Business Insider”, according to which the works council of the US electrical manufacturer in Grünheide is demanding the highest wages for the employees. Accordingly, the employee representatives want to exceed the standard wages in the industry from western and southern Germany.
“If Tesla wants to increase wages, that’s good news for employees. In the current situation, you can use every extra euro a month,” said trade unionist Schulz. The wages and working hours at Tesla in Grünheide are still far removed from the level in the German auto industry with collective agreements.
However, she considers it difficult for the works council to enforce the demand. “A works council – regardless of the company – cannot legally enforce any collective bargaining standards,” says Schulz.
The union has long worried about the working conditions at the carmaker. Wages at Tesla are on average about 10 to 15 percent below the collective bargaining agreement. Stressful shift systems, frequent extra work at weekends and a high workload due to a lack of staff and many absences due to illness caused resentment. Tesla is not doing enough to improve working conditions, IG Metall concludes.