Tesla Workers Pay the Price for Musk’s Political Gambits—Brandenburg Minister Fires Warning Shot

Elon’s ego vs. employee welfare: German officials won’t let Tesla staff become collateral damage in the billionaire’s culture wars.

While Musk tweets memes and moves markets, autoworkers face real-world fallout. Another case of corporate leadership prioritizing personal branding over people—who could’ve seen that coming?

(Well, besides anyone who’s watched a CEO chase headlines while their stock price does the electric slide downward.)

Backlash against Tesla puts German authorities in a difficult spot

Across Europe, Teslas have been set on fire in Germany, France, and Italy in apparent protest.

Local officials had welcomed Tesla with open arms, hoping the factory WOULD help revive Brandenburg’s economy. The state is one of several in eastern Germany coping with falling population numbers and a scarcity of well-paid jobs. In the small town of Grünheide, the plant has become Brandenburg’s largest employer, but the slump in Tesla’s European sales is stoking fears that its workers could pay the price for Musk’s divisive moves.

Company leaders, including Musk, now insist that operations are running smoothly. After a slowdown earlier this year for retooling the new-look Model Y, the Grünheide factory is back to its full pace of about 5,000 vehicles a week, said Alexander Riederer, who oversees business development for Tesla in Germany. He added that the company plans to double production and boost its logistics and battery-making capacity.

“What we’re doing right now is making preparations to be able to grow further at the plant,” Riederer said at an industry event in the German resort town of Bad Saarow.

Environmental activists argue it uses too much water and poses risks to local ecosystems. Earlier this year, some Tesla employees in Germany demanded better working conditions, citing heavy workloads and calling for more restroom breaks. Activists say their efforts to disrupt rail lines and other infrastructure are meant to halt the plant’s expansion.

Tesla opened in Brandenburg at a time when established German carmakers like Volkswagen AG and BMW AG were already feeling the pressure from new rivals and rapid shifts in technology. Volkswagen and parts supplier Continental AG have both cut back operations in Germany to save money and protect sales against cheaper imports from Chinese brands.

“The entire automotive industry in Germany is currently undergoing a restructuring,” Keller said on the sidelines of the Bad Saarow event. “I think we can be grateful that we have one of the industry leaders that is not stuck with old technology.”

Your crypto news deserves attention - KEY Difference Wire puts you on 250+ top sites