Union accuses Tesla of fostering toxic work environment at German plant

Germany’s largest union is accusing Tesla Inc. of fostering a toxic working environment at the automaker’s factory near Berlin as tensions mount ahead of contentious works council elections.

IG Metall said on Wednesday that the US manufacturer was overworking its employees and putting pressure on staff who fell ill. The union applied for an interim injunction at the labor court over false allegations that one of its members recorded the works council meeting on a laptop. Prosecutors were asked to investigate a local Tesla executive for insulting him.

Regional IG Metall leader Jan Otto said Tesla management was attacking unions in Germany with “unprecedented aggression”. “The company should not be allowed to get away with this.”

The comments highlight growing friction ahead of key works council elections at Tesla’s factory in Germany next month. IG Metall hopes to win a majority in the vote to implement the wage deal, which is standard in Europe’s largest economy.

Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has repeatedly expressed his hostility towards unions and collective bargaining agreements. In Germany, labor leaders often hold half the seats on the supervisory boards of large companies, giving them the ability to influence and block strategic decisions.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a call for comment.

The votes at Tesla and similar votes at Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Porsche AG and Volkswagen AG in March come at a tense time for the European automotive industry. As demand remains below pre-pandemic levels, companies are shifting research and production to lower-cost countries. Germany’s industry has shed tens of thousands of jobs in recent years, leaving IG Metall to grapple with broader questions about the sector’s importance at a time of rapid change.

The situation is particularly critical at Tesla, as the company’s European sales are falling in the growing EV market. In Germany, where the Model Y is produced in the small town of Grünheide, new Tesla registrations fell 48% in 2025. The company’s staff here have long complained about unfair working conditions.

IG Metall said it was cooperating with an investigation into the laptop dispute and that the employee offered authorities access to the device to expedite the investigation and disprove the allegation. The union is calling for changes at Grünheide, including more staff, more shift breaks and more flexible holiday hours.

“Employees are right to demand that they be treated with respect,” said IG Metall member Philipp Schwartz, who is running in the Tesla works council elections. “They don’t want to be looked down upon as machines that can be replaced when they no longer work as intended.”