Elon Musk's Tesla Faces Union Battle Over German Factory Workers' Rights

Europe's largest trade union, IG Metall, is locked in a contentious fight with Elon Musk's Tesla over control of the works council at the automaker's gigafactory near Berlin. The works council, an elected body of employees that negotiates everything from working hours to pay deals with a company's management, is considered an entrenched aspect of the German corporate world, particularly in the car industry.

The battle has resulted in a flurry of lawsuits and mutual accusations of slander as both sides jockey for influence over the employment rights and working conditions at Tesla's first European manufacturing facility. IG Metall, which represents over 2.2 million German metal and electrical workers, is seeking to gain a foothold at the plant and shape the rules governing its operations.