Tesla (TSLA-US) has come under fire from German union IG Metall and politicians after workers accused it of unreasonable hours and fears of trouble for work-related comments, some of which were under non-disclosure agreements. calls for adjustments to Tesla.
IG Metall said at its annual press conference that, based on union contacts with workers, workers reported long hours, little space and that workers were increasingly afraid to discuss working conditions openly as they signed labor contracts. At the same time, a non-disclosure agreement must be signed.
In addition, Tesla is seeking “security intelligence investigators” on its recruitment website, which has also caused concern. According to the job posting, its job is to work with the legal and human resources departments to collect some information inside and outside the Tesla factory to protect the company from threats.
Irene Schulz of IG Metall said in a statement that Tesla workers were originally enthusiastic about the project, but that enthusiasm is now waning over time. Tesla has not done enough to improve working conditions, leaving too little time for leisure, family and rest.
Tesla China also requires some employees to sign non-disclosure agreements, according to two people familiar with the matter. Meanwhile, according to LinkedIn, Tesla has “security intelligence investigators” in Austin, San Francisco, and Shanghai.
Local politicians from the center-left Social Democrats to the center-right CDU expressed concern over the allegations, calling on Tesla and the local government to investigate, Handelsblatt reported.
