Tesla Cleared in Union Row: Tesla Cleared of Union-Busting Claims, Faces Tech Policy Scrutiny.
A U.S. labor board dismissed allegations that Tesla unlawfully terminated workers involved in Autopilot software at its New York factory to curb union activities. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rejected the complaint by Workers United, a union striving to organize Tesla’s Buffalo “gigafactory.”
The union contended that Tesla axed numerous Autopilot department employees within days of announcing a union campaign earlier this year. Tesla defended the terminations, asserting they were performance-based and unrelated to union efforts. While the labor board dismissed the illegal firing claims, it acknowledged two other allegations.
The NLRB found merit in claims that Tesla had an unlawful rule regarding technology use at work and solicited grievances from workers to hinder union support. Unless settled, the NLRB will issue a complaint, subject to a hearing before an administrative judge. Both Tesla and Workers United are yet to comment on the matter.
This dispute is part of a broader nationwide push to unionize Tesla facilities, prompting multiple complaints alleging illegal union-busting. The United Auto Workers (UAW) union, emboldened by recent wins with the Detroit Three, aims to organize Tesla’s non-unionized U.S. auto plants. President Joe Biden has voiced support for the union’s endeavors.
In April, an NLRB judge ruled against Tesla, stating supervisors at a Florida service center illegally restricted workers from discussing pay and working conditions. However, a recent U.S. appeals court overturned an NLRB decision that accused Tesla of violating federal labor law by prohibiting UAW T-shirts at its California assembly plant.
Simultaneously, the court is reviewing Tesla’s appeal of an NLRB ruling that CEO Elon Musk breached federal labor law in a 2018 tweet linking union participation to the loss of stock options. Tesla maintains its innocence in these cases.
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