German local outlets reported on Friday that Tesla GigaBerlin’s factory in Germany is involved in escalating conflicts with the national unionized workforce.
Internal emails obtained by Handelsblatt reveal that the EV manufacturer is stepping up pressure on union members months after allegedly fraudulent sick leave claims, from whom Tesla intends to recover three years’ worth of wages.
IG Metall, Germany’s largest trade union, is demanding that the company distribute the upcoming Christmas bonus to every employee — as the EV maker is allegedly excluding workers who have taken even one day of sick leave in 2025.
The union stated that the red socks with the Giga logo, given out last year, were not enough.
Relations with unionized workers have further deteriorated due to a dispute over muesli bars.
According to the union, the bars were wrapped in blue paper, representing the group of employees closer to management, while unionized workers are associated with red, reflecting IG Metall’s traditional color.
In March, Handelsblatt had reported that, following a wave of absenteeism at the Grünheide plant, Tesla threatened to withhold wages from employees on sick leave.
This happened just months after the company warned employees that managers would make unannounced home visits to verify their illnesses or injuries during sick leave.
At the time, the company was also requesting that employees voluntarily provide medical diagnoses documents — by law, employers are not allowed to demand it in Germany.
According to the outlet, chief André Thierig wrote in an email last Wednesday that he has “had to realize that there is still a group of employees who apparently take no joy in our success,” while also noting that the plant is “well utilized.”
Last week, the plant manager said that the factory has revised its production targets, “planning upward for both the third and fourth quarters.”
Speaking with the German Press Agency, the chief of Tesla‘s European plant said that the brand currently has a “very good sales situation,” which will drive higher output at the factory.
The factory, which only manufactures the Model Y, has reached half a million units produced last March, around three years after the first SUV rolled off the line.
Currently, the plant produces EVs to over 30 markets globally including all European countries, Canada, Taiwan and the Middle East region.
Earlier this month, the first Tesla vehicles from Giga Berlin have arrived in Canada, as the company shifts away from US-made Model Ys, in response to current tariffs.
Despite increased production, the EV maker’s sales in Germany are down 56% year to date, when compared to the first eight months of 2024.
In August, Tesla sold 13,162 vehicles across its European markets, a drop of 19.8% compared to the 16,413 units registered in August 2024.
