Tesla faced a setback in its legal dispute with Sweden’s postal service, marking a new chapter in an escalating conflict with Nordic trade unions. The latest development saw a Finnish union joining a port blockade, preventing the carmaker from importing its vehicles to Sweden.
A Swedish court ruled in favour of PostNord, stating that, for the time being, the postal service is not obligated to deliver license plates to Tesla due to workers’ blockades—a part of the ongoing dispute over collective bargaining agreements.
The pressure on Tesla in Nordic countries has intensified as powerful employee unions, supporting Swedish IF Metall’s mechanics, initiated a strike on Oct. 27, seeking a collective agreement with the company.
Adding to the situation, the Finnish transport workers’ union AKT announced its decision to participate in the sympathy strike against Tesla. They declared a blockade of Tesla vehicles bound for Sweden in all Finnish ports starting from Dec. 20, essentially preventing the loading of Tesla vehicles or components destined for the Swedish market by dockworkers.
This move follows similar actions by unions in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, effectively halting Tesla’s car shipments to Sweden.
AKT’s president, Ismo Kokko, emphasized the importance of collective agreements in the Nordic labour market model, supporting mutual union solidarity.
The Nordics represent a crucial market for Tesla, which has resisted entering collective bargaining agreements, arguing that its staff already receive terms equivalent to or better than what IF Metall demands.
However, the standoff has led to repercussions in Tesla’s investor landscape. A major Danish pension fund revealed it sold its Tesla holdings, citing Tesla’s refusal to engage in such agreements.
While some Swedish pension funds have urged Tesla to sign the agreement with the union, they have not yet divested their shares.
The court’s recent decision is an interim one amid Tesla’s lawsuit against PostNord for halting plate deliveries in a sympathy strike. The final ruling is pending.
Various workers, including dockworkers, drivers, electricians, and cleaners, have either refused or threatened to decline services for Tesla in solidarity with IF Metall.
Seko, the union organizing the PostNord workers in the sympathy strike, welcomed the court’s decision, emphasizing its significance within the Swedish collective agreement model.
Norway and Sweden rank among Tesla’s top markets, with the Model Y being the best-selling car in Sweden this year.
In a related case, a court ruled on Nov. 27 that Sweden’s transport authority must find a solution to deliver license plates to Tesla. However, the agency has appealed this decision.
As of now, neither Tesla nor IF Metall has provided immediate comments on these developments. Previously, Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, expressed frustration, calling the situation “insane” on social media in response to PostNord’s refusal to deliver license plates to new Tesla cars.
