Tesla strike

The strike by members of the Swedish metalworkers’ union IF Metall, which began on 27 October 2023, is likely to last for several more months, according to local union representative Peter Wetterberg.

The strike, a result of the US-owned company’s refusal to sign a collective agreement, is a key test for Sweden’s social model which depends on a high proportion of employees being covered by collective agreements.

An attempt by the official Mediation Institutein in June to reach a solution failed. This is despite the fact that on issues such as pay and pensions the two sides are not that far apart.

Director of the Mediation institute Irene Wennemo explained: “Tesla simply does not want a collective agreement”.