The American giant Tesla has taken legal action against the Swedish state because postal workers refused to hand over the license plates of its new cars.
• Also read: Strike at Tesla in Sweden: The consequences are “insane,” says Musk
The strike movement against Tesla, which was launched at the end of October by the metal industry union IF Metall because of the manufacturer’s refusal to adhere to a collective agreement on wages, has now spread to other industries.
The postal sector joined the movement on November 20 and employees stopped deliveries to Tesla offices and repair shops.
Since license plates are only delivered by mail, the move could prevent new Teslas from circulating, something CEO Elon Musk described as “crazy” on Friday.
In its application to the Norrköping District Court, Tesla wants the court to require the Swedish Transport Authority to ensure that the license plates “come into the possession of Tesla.”
In addition, a fine of one million crowns (87,000 euros) is required if the authority does not enforce a possible court decision.
The Swedish Transport Agency said last week that the postal company Postnord was entrusted with sending the license plates under a contract that covers all government agencies.
In another application, Tesla is asking the court in Solna, a suburb of Stockholm, to force Postnord, which is owned by the Swedish and Danish states, to return the license plates.
In addition to IF Mettall, nine other unions have announced solidarity measures towards Tesla employees such as dock workers and construction workers.
Collective agreements negotiated on a sector-by-sector basis form the basis of the Swedish labor market model. They cover almost 90% of all Swedish workers and guarantee them minimum salaries and working conditions.
Despite being unionized, Tesla workers do not benefit from industry-specific collective bargaining agreements because their company has not signed the collective bargaining agreement.
The American electric car specialist has always rejected calls for unionization of its 127,000 employees worldwide.