André Thierig, the manager of Tesla’s GigaBerlin factory, is facing a defamation lawsuit from IG Metall, Germany’s largest industrial union.
The news came just a week after the company filed a criminal complaint against a union representative who was reportedly caught recording a council meeting at the Grünheide factory.
Thierig said the union representative was attending the meeting as a guest when he was spotted recording using a laptop computer.
Tensions between the manufacturer and IG Metall have intensified as the works council elections approach.
The union is currently represented in Tesla‘s works council, but does not hold a majority.
IG Metall’s Response
IG Metall announced on Tuesday that it has taken legal action to protect its representative and union work within the factory.
Besides a criminal complaint filed against the plant manager for defamation, the union applied to the Labor Court in Frankfurt/Oder for a preliminary injunction to prohibit André Thierig from further spreading false claims.
In addition, IG Metall is preparing a lawsuit regarding union busting — obstruction of union work — in the plant.
The union’s district manager for Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony, Jan Otto, stated that while “legal disputes are not our preferred way of handling conflicts,” preferring “substantive discussions for better working conditions,” the union has to defend themselves “by all means, including legal ones.”
“We will not allow Tesla to get away with this attack on workplace democracy,” Otto added.
According to IG Metall, the employee has submitted his laptop to investigators, which will allow authorities “to quickly see that, contrary to Tesla’s claims, he did not record the works council meeting.”
The union wants the investigation results to be available before the upcoming works council election in early March.
“That way, the employees themselves can see who is telling the truth and who is not,” he said.
German Production
Thierig warned late last year that Tesla‘s US leadership may reconsider expanding the Berlin factory if workers vote in favor of IG Metall representation.
“I cannot imagine that the decision makers in the USA will continue to push ahead with the expansion of the factory if the election results are majority in favour of IG Metall,” he told German press agency DPA.
Over the past two years, Tesla has cut around 1,700 jobs at the facility, according to a report published by German outlet Handelsblatt earlier this year.
An internal document revealed that the company employs 10,703 workers at the plant— a 13.8% decline from the 12,415 workers they had in 2024.
The information comes despite repeated statements by plant manager André Thierig that Tesla had not cut jobs or carried out production shutdowns throughout 2025.
Additionally, with the company’s plans to establish cell production in Grünheide announced in December, Thierif noted that a “substantially three-digit number” of new jobs would be created in the coming months.
The Grünheide plant has been producing Tesla’s best-selling Model Y SUV since 2022.
While Tesla’s factories in the U.S. and Shanghai generally supply most international markets, GigaBerlin occasionally ships vehicles outside Europe.
Last year, the first batch of Model Ys was sent to Canada, as the country shifted imports from the US to Germany to avoid high tariffs.
German and European Sales
Last year, Tesla’s vehicle registrations in Germany nearly halved to 19,390 vehicles, compared to 2024’s 37,574 units.
The company saw its sales plunge overall across Europe in 2025, with exceptions such as Norway, where it achieved record figures.
Some of the reasons for the drop include increased competition from Chinese automakers, the weaker than expected demand for the refreshed Model Y, and reputational damage linked to CEO Elon Musk’s political activities.
In January, year-over-year sales recovered by 2%, as the company registered 1,301 vehicles last month — 24 units above the same period in 2025.
Tesla sells its Model S, 3, X, and Y in Germany.
The Model Y Standard, priced from €39,990, was launched in October, while the Model 3 Standard, which starts from €36,990, was included in the German lineup in December.
The updated Model S and Model X are priced from €109,990 and €114,990, respectively.
However, Tesla announced in late January that it will soon halt production of the flagship models, as it aims to use its manufacturing lines towards its autonomous projects.
