Background information on IF Metall’s conflict at Tesla
The main reason for IF Metall to take industrial action at Tesla is to ensure that our members have decent and safe working conditions. Over a long period of time, we have attempted to discuss with Tesla the signing of a collective agreement, yet without success. Now we see no solution other than to take industrial action.
The Swedish labour market model
Collective agreements are the basis of the Swedish labour market model. This means that the trade unions and the employers' organizations determine the rules of the game in the labour market, without interference from the state and politicians. In Sweden, approximately nine out of ten workers are covered by collective agreements.
The terms of the collective agreement include wages, form of employment, occupational pension, working hours, vacations, and periods of notice. Thus, the employers benefit from industry-specific, long-term, and stable ground rules.
The collective agreements are negotiated on a sector-by-sector basis, and employees are guaranteed the wages and working conditions that are standard across the sector. This allows for companies to operate on a level playing field, while avoiding the risk of any one employer distorting competition in the sector by imposing poor conditions on their employees.
In the poster The collective agreement is worth its weight in gold there are figures with examples from the Motor industry agreement IF Metall. Feel free to print the poster and show others what the collective agreement provides!
The-collective-agreement-is-worth-its-weight-in-gold_2023.pdf
The-collective-agreement-is-worth-its-weight-in-gold_2023.pdf (1,3 MB)
Very few labour market conflicts in Sweden
Once a collective agreement is signed, both employers and employees have the obligation to keep the peace. This applies throughout the term of the agreement and ensures that no one can strike to obtain better conditions than those set out in the agreement.
As a result, the collective agreement ensures a Swedish labour market with very few industrial actions, conflicts or strikes. It is grounded on a long-standing Swedish tradition of over 100 years of negotiations between the labour market parties. The collective agreement creates a situation of clarity and order for both employees and employers, while avoiding conflicts.
Fact: IF Metall, Industrial metalworkers in Sweden, is the trade union organizing 300 000 members within the manufacturing and chemical industries, in mining, and in the automotive industry.
Become a member
You, who are not a member, obstruct and prolong the struggle for your co-workers when they fight to get a collective agreement. A collective agreement that makes working conditions better for your colleagues – but also for you. We welcome you as a member in our trade union and to fight together for a collective agreement and better working conditions. Together we are strong.
Become a member todayDownload this page as a printable pdf
Background-information-on-IF-Metall-conflict-at-Tesla.pdf
Background-information-on-IF-Metall-conflict-at-Tesla.pdf (461 KB)