Tesla files criminal complaint against German union representative

09:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Tesla files criminal complaint against German union representative

Tesla has lodged a criminal complaint against a member of Germany’s IG Metall union after he was caught secretly recording a works council meeting at the company’s Grünheide plant near Berlin, according to an internal staff memo reviewed by Reuters.

The incident marks a new escalation in strained relations between Europe’s largest industrial union and the US electric vehicle manufacturer. It comes just weeks before a pivotal works council election in March that could shape Tesla’s long term industrial strategy in Europe.

Plant director André Thierig said the external IG Metall representative attended the meeting as a guest before allegedly beginning to record proceedings using a laptop. Under German law, works council meetings are not public, and recording them without consent constitutes a criminal offense.

Thierig addressed the matter on X shortly after the event, calling it unprecedented. He said police were contacted immediately and that a criminal complaint had been filed. Tesla confirmed the contents of the internal memo. IG Metall did not provide immediate comment when contacted by Reuters.

The union rejected Tesla’s account, describing it as a calculated misrepresentation intended to influence the upcoming works council vote. IG Metall reiterated its longstanding claim that plant management is seeking to marginalize the union in favor of what it calls a compliant employee representation structure.

The dispute unfolds at a critical juncture for labor relations at the Brandenburg facility. In December, Thierig drew what he described as a red line against IG Metall’s demand for a 35 hour workweek, directly linking the outcome of the March election to future investment decisions at the site.

He previously said he could not envision US decision makers approving further expansion of the factory if the election results favored IG Metall.

The March vote will determine the composition of the 39 seat works council at Giga Berlin, which employs about 12,500 workers. In the 2024 election, IG Metall candidates secured the highest number of individual votes, but non union representatives won a majority of seats overall, with 23 seats compared with 16 for the union.

Tensions between Tesla and IG Metall have persisted since the Grünheide factory opened in 2022. The union has pushed for collective bargaining agreements and improved working conditions, while Tesla has declined to enter such agreements and has maintained its independence from union structures.