Tesla: We didn’t fire workers because they unionized
US electric car maker Tesla, of which Elon Musk is the CEO, denied claims that workers were dismissed because they unionized. Tesla claimed that 27 of its employees were laid off due to poor performance.
With the dismissal of 27 people in the team of 675 people who designed Tesla’s autopilot system, the allegations that Elon Musk was dismissed due to unionization began to be discussed.
In a statement made by Tesla, it was claimed that performance problems were detected before the unionization efforts of 27 dismissed people began.
It was also stated that workers were warned by their managers to work more devotedly, but no progress was made despite this.
ALLEGED THAT HE HAS BEEN FIRED DUE TO THE UNION
Tesla Workers United, the Tesla arm of the Workers United union, claimed on Tuesday that workers at its Buffalo, New York, factory were fired after unionization efforts were announced.
It was stated that Arian Berek, one of the union’s committee members, was among the dismissed employees. Berek said, “I think they retaliated after the union’s statement. It’s embarrassing.”
Workers United, which also organizes the unionization movements at Starbucks, filed a complaint with the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
“A DECISION MADE BEFORE SYNDICATION”
Tesla, on the other hand, argued that the decision to lay off workers was actually taken on February 3, before the unionization activities were announced.
On the other hand, Musk, in his post on Twitter in 2018, said that if the workers unionized, he would not be allowed to buy shares in the company in the future.
In the decision announced two years ago, the NLRB reported that Musk violated labor laws with this tweet and threatened employees who were considering unionizing.
