BERLIN (Reuters) – German union IG Metall has accused management at US carmaker Tesla’s plant near Berlin of “aggressive tactics” against workers trying to unionise after it fired one of its representatives on the works council.
Tesla management dismissed a worker affiliated with IG Metall without notice at the gigafactory plant in Gruenheide, the union said in a statement.
“This dismissal is yet another attempt to intimidate IG Metall workers at the plant,” the IG Metall faction at Gruenheide said in the statement, decrying “aggressive tactics against all those in the plant who are working together for humane and fair working conditions”.
The faction said plant management has threatened every IG Metall works council member with dismissal.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
The top German trade union has locked horns with Tesla in a bid to gain greater influence over pay and working conditions at its only production site in Europe.
(Reporting by Ilona Wissenbach, Writing by Rachel More, Editing by Miranda Murray)