Danish dockworkers join Swedish conflict against Tesla

The labor conflict against Tesla in Sweden is spreading to neighbouring Denmark where dockworkers with the country’s largest trade union said Tuesday they will take action in solidarity with Swedish workers against Tesla.

Tesla’s labor dispute in Scandinavia has escalated after a union in Denmark said it would no longer transport Tesla’s cars to Sweden.

After six weeks of intense fighting and strike for a collective agreement in Sweden, IF Metall has requested support from 3F Transport.

“IF Metall and the Swedish workers are currently fighting an incredibly important battle. When they ask for our support, we naturally back up. Like the companies, the trade union movement is global in the fight to protect workers. With the sympathy conflict, we are now stepping in and putting further pressure on Tesla. We naturally hope that they will come to the negotiating table as soon as possible and sign an agreement”, said Jan Villadsen, chairman of 3F Transport.

Dockworkers in Sweden joined forces earlier this year to block Tesla’s unloading and loading of cars in all Swedish ports, in an effort to pressure Tesla to sign a collective bargaining agreement.

The Swedish Transport Workers’ Union (Svenska Transportarbetareförbundet) expanded the conflict against Tesla to all ports in Sweden, after launching the action at four key locations.

“Even if you are one of the richest people in the world, you can’t just make your own rules. We have some agreements on the labor market in the Nordics, and you have to comply with them if you want to do business here. Solidarity is the cornerstone of the trade union movement and extends across national borders. Therefore, we now take the tools we have and use them to secure collective agreements and fair working conditions”, said Jan Villadsen.

There has previously been speculation whether Tesla would deliver their cars to Danish ports and transport them on trucks to Sweden after Swedish dock workers blocked Tesla’s cars in Sweden.

“With the sympathy conflict, that model is no longer possible,” the union said.