• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Tesla fires dozens of workers day after union drive starts

Home> News

Updated 21:50 17 Feb 2023 GMTPublished 21:45 17 Feb 2023 GMT

Tesla fires dozens of workers day after union drive starts

Elon Musk has previously criticised Tesla employees who joined unions

Katherine Sidnell

Katherine Sidnell

Tesla has allegedly fired dozens of workers, after employees at the Buffalo factory tried to unionize on Tuesday (14 February).

Many have called it ‘retaliation’ and fear that the car manufacturer will fire even more employees before the end of the week.

As over 800 autopilot analysts await to news, some of the fired employees have began taking legal action against the firm.

Tesla has fired over 30 employees.
VDWI Automotive / Alamy Stock Photo

Advert

The firings took place late on Wednesday night (15 February), with a group filling an unfair labour charge with the National Labor Relations Board shortly afterwards - according to Bloomberg.

A representative told the outlet that the dismissals were 'in retaliation for union activity and to discourage union activity'.

While Telsa have insisted that the firings were based the employee’s performance, one data analysts has questioned this, adding that this wasn’t scheduled until July.

The car manufacturer has insisted the firings were related to performance.
360b / Alamy Stock Photo

Advert

Speaking to Vice News, Alexandra Kowalewski, a data analyst who has worked at the Buffalo factory for more than a year, said: “It is very suspicious that it was ahead of schedule… Frankly, things are never ahead of schedule at Tesla.”

Employees now fear that more firings will come, with Kowalewski saying: “Everybody in the office is nervous…It’s an edgy atmosphere, and not a good kind. It’s nerve wracking."

It’s not the first time Tesla has responded negatively to employee joining a union.

Workers at the Buffalo factory had previously tried to unionise in 2019, but were unsuccessful and many of the company’s caretakers were also fired last year for similar reasons.

Advert

Employees have also been banned from wearing union branded t-shirts in California.

Elon Musk's tweet.
Twitter/ Elon Musk

Owner Elon Musk has also made it known how much he disapproved of unions. Back in 2018, he stated on Twitter that those that did so would have to ‘give up stock options’.

However, employees are reportedly still eager to join unions.

Advert

Many have been campaigning for increased job security and better working conditions, with data analysts allegedly earning just $19 per hour.

Elon Musk also banned workers wearing union t-shirts.
Kristoffer Tripplaar / Alamy Stock Photo

Kowalewski said that she’d originally joined the car manufacturer as it seemed ‘exciting’.

“When you first start, you’re like, ‘Oh, this is a cool job and exciting opportunity',” she said. “But then you start to realize it’s a job that expects you to be almost robotic in a way. You’re not really valued as a human."

Advert

However, on Thursday night (16 February), Tesla published a statement on its website describing the allegation of retaliatory firings as 'false', claiming the terminations were in fact performance-based and that the decision had been made to fire the employees on 3 February.

It said: “We learned in hindsight that one out of the 27 impacted employees officially identified as part of the union campaign.

“This exercise pre-dated any union campaign."

UNILAD has contacted Tesla for further comment.

Featured Image Credit: REUTERS / Alamy Stock Photo/B Christopher / Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: Elon Musk, Tesla, Electric Cars, Cars, US News

Katherine Sidnell
Katherine Sidnell

Katherine is an entertainment journalist with a love of all things nerdy. Starting out writing Doctor Who fan fiction as a kid, she has gone on to interview the likes of Matt Damon, James May and Dua Lipa to name a few. Published in The Sun, The Daily Mail and Evening Standard - she now joins Ladbible as resident nerd in chief.

X

@ksidnell

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

5 hours ago
6 hours ago
7 hours ago
  • 5 hours ago

    Hospital asks for help identifying man, 34, who has been in intensive care for weeks

    This John Doe is 5 feet 7 inches and was found in the Torrance area of California last month

    News
  • 6 hours ago

    'Mutant deer' spotted with terrifying flesh bubbles as fears grow of animal outbreak in the US

    What ever next? Crows with three eyes?

    News
  • 7 hours ago

    Expert reveals 8 warning signs that indicate your lack of sex drive could need medical attention

    The expert has said such warnings signs should see you head to the doctors

    News
  • 7 hours ago

    Trump rants on Smithsonian museums being 'out of control' for discussing 'how bad slavery was'

    The Smithsonian was the latest target of Trump's ire

    News
  • Tesla owner who's driven more than 300,000 miles reveals the shocking impact it’s had on battery health
  • Warning to Tesla owners who drive five specific cars after 5,135,991 vehicles recalled
  • Elon Musk forced to halt Cybertruck deliveries after vehicles fall apart as customers drive away
  • Tesla owner forced to pay $14,000 repair bill one day after buying it