Tesla receives UAW labor complaint following factory worker firings

[Polycount]

Tesla has been the subject of some controversy lately. Earlier this month, the automotive company was served with two separate lawsuits, one regarding alleged racist drawings and language towards black employees at the Fremont factory and the other involving anti-LGBT "threats, taunts and racial abuse." But Tesla's problems aren't over just yet.

Following the recent firing of hundreds of Tesla Fremont factory workers last week, the electric car maker has been hit with an unfair labor practice (ULP) labor complaint from the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. Though Tesla was quick to point out at the time that these firings were purely performance-related, the UAW isn't buying it. The organization claims that the car maker specifically and unfairly targeted unionized workers at Tesla's Fremont factory.

"Tesla, which recently fired hundreds of employees for ‘performance issues,’ swept up many pro-union employees in the terminations. Several pro-union employees have come forward with copies of their performance reports, which show no areas of concern," part of the statement reads.

The UAW also alleges that some of the employees in question were terminated merely for wearing pro-union clothing or displaying pro-union stickers on their personal effects. One such example is the following quote excerpt from fired Tesla employee Mike Williams, included in the UAW's statement:

“I worked hard for this company for five years, sometimes 72 hours a week – and never had any performance-related complaints. I did, however, wear a union shirt. And I had union stickers on my water bottle. And I believed that a union would make us safer, and would make the company more organized and more efficient. I hate to think that I was targeted because of it.

The organization says that Mike was told he was being let go for "performance issues and for having a negative influence on his teammates," though Tesla has not yet confirmed or denied this. However, as reported by Mercury News one Tesla spokesperson claims that "no one at Tesla has ever or will ever have any action taken against them based on their feelings on unionization." The spokesperson further noted that National Labor Relations Board filings are considered common practice during union disputes.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/71609-tesla-receives-uaw-labor-complaint-following-factory-worker.html

 

[Uncle Al]

Looks like Elon might have bit off a bit more than he can chew this time .....

 

[Kenrick]

"wearing pro-union clothing or displaying pro-union stickers on their personal effects"

he was being let go for "performance issues and for having a negative influence on his teammates,"

There will be always a weed in an organization, Better cut them early before they outnumbered the daisies.

 

[EClyde]

I was in the MNA 25 years and the USW 6 years. Keep the unions OUT

 

[yRaz]

Regardless of your opinion of Tesla and their products, they are one of the most liberal companies in the country. The idea that they're firing people because they're black is simply absurd.

I was in the MNA 25 years and the USW 6 years. Keep the unions OUT

That's funny, because the only way to make any money these days in the trades is with a union. Unless you want to make $15/hr for the rest of your life killing your body, you join a union. If you hate unions so much you're more than welcome to give up 3/4 your income and benifits

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Wouldnt surprise me. Tesla overworks their employees constantly. If those workers were union, the OT rates would bankrupt tesla faster, because said company still cant make money on its own.

Unions would also make it much harder to fire people you dont like, which isnt compatible with musk's ego.

Regardless of your opinion of Tesla and their products, they are one of the most liberal companies in the country. The idea that they're firing people because they're black is simply absurd.

I was in the MNA 25 years and the USW 6 years. Keep the unions OUT

That's funny, because the only way to make any money these days in the trades is with a union. Unless you want to make $15/hr for the rest of your life killing your body, you join a union. If you hate unions so much you're more than welcome to give up 3/4 your income and benifits

But how else can he complain about how he has to make as much money as his clearly inferior coworkers? The man on the tele said unions are EVIL!!11!! They STEAL OUR JERBS and our GOD GIVEN right to work for minumum wage! AMURICA!!!

I've never understood why people are so anti union. If union people make more money then you, then perhaps you should join a union yourself and make more money, rather then dragging other people down to your pathetic wage? But people like EClyde dont seem interested in improving their own situation.

And ECLYDE, if you were in a bad union, perhaps instead of complaining, you could have run for a seat in the union and tried to change things. A union is only as good as its employees.

 

[stewi0001]

"And I believed that a union would make us safer, and would make the company more organized and more efficient."

lol nope.

I am personally not a fan of unions at all. I know they had to happen since some companies fail horribly at taking care of their employees. But I feel like some unions have probably become as greedy as those companies that fail to take care of their employees.

 

[Scodd]

Looks like Elon might have bit off a bit more than he can chew this time .....

Not even close. He has a big mouth and can chew up anything in it.

 

[senketsu]

One Tesla spokesperson claims that "no one at Tesla has ever or will ever have any action taken against them based on their feelings on unionization."
well, there is one bald faced lie

 

[wiyosaya]

<...>A union is only as good as its employees.

I really think you hit on the right location with this. It is the people that make the character of any organization. Whether it is in a union or in a company, corrupt people will make for a corrupt union or a corrupt company. As I see it, neither a union or a company are inherently bad as entities; it takes bad people to make them bad.

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

I've never understood why people are so anti union. If union people make more money then you, then perhaps you should join a union yourself and make more money, rather then dragging other people down to your pathetic wage? But people like EClyde dont seem interested in improving their own situation.

Unions were important about 70 years ago before we had laws protecting workers. Unions were able to get us things we needed, like basic safety, 40 hr workweek, no kids in the factory etc. Years go by - unions get more and more benefits, usually in the form of pensions and other retirement benefits.
Then the world changes and the US isn't the only place to make things anymore. Cars come from Japan and Europe, electronics from Japan, everything else from China. US Labor is now really expensive and because companies have to pay out all those benefits to retirees, they're getting squeezed. The UAW basically bankrupted the major car companies and it led to the bailout. Eventually the unions agreed to huge cuts because a little of something is better than all of nothing.

Now people are sick of being forced to pay dues. They're sick of how political unions are. They don't like seeing $200/month come off their paycheck to support some dude for governor they don't plan on voting for.

TLDR; People don't like unions because they're more trouble than they're worth. In 1925 they were important and necessary - in 2017 they're a burden.