union challenged Tesla

Potsdam, Germany — A German union is challenging the results of the works council election at the Tesla plant in eastern Germany.

The IG Metall union said on Wednesday that it has submitted a motion to the electric vehicle manufacturer seeking to invalidate the results from the vote earlier in March.

Millions of employees across Germany take part in internal elections every four years in accordance with the country’s works council, in German, Betriebsrat, system, which allows workers a say in the running of companies.

However, IG Metall alleged that the election campaign at the Tesla site in Grünheide, outside Berlin, was marred by threats from the company, with attempts at intimidation and unequal treatment of the various candidates.

This leaves “no other conclusion than to regard this as unlawful interference in the election,” the union said, calling for a re-run of the election.

IG Metall official Christiane Benner said: “The impression that the election at Tesla was influenced by threats is too serious not to be clarified in court.”

The union had accused Tesla of management interference following its failure to win the election.

Ahead of the vote, Tesla chief executive Elon Musk had warned in a video message to the workforce that the planned expansion of the factory could be scrapped.