Breaking: Buffalo Tesla Factory To Unionize

Unionization efforts beginning a Tesla Gigafactory 2, employees tired of being treated like robots

According to a union organizing committee member, “People are tired of being treated like robots” at the Tesla Gigafactory 2 in Buffalo, New York. The employees are seeking better wages, job security, a larger voice in workplace decision-making, as well as decreased monitoring on the job.

Sara Costantino, an employee at the Tesla Gigafactory 2 Buffalo plant said, “I want a voice with my company — we don’t really have one.”

The Tesla employees will be organizing with the Workers United labor union, which has a notiable presence is establishing unions for large companies, as they’ve previously helped to establish unionization at Starbucks.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has responded to the unionization efforts of Tesla employees at Tesla Gigafactory 2, saying:

“Nothing stopping Tesla team at our car plant from voting union. Could do so tmrw if they wanted. But why pay union dues & give up stock options for nothing? Our safety record is 2X better than when plant was UAW & everybody already gets healthcare.”

Nothing stopping Tesla team at our car plant from voting union. Could do so tmrw if they wanted. But why pay union dues & give up stock options for nothing? Our safety record is 2X better than when plant was UAW & everybody already gets healthcare.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 21, 2018

Musk would also add:

“Also, UAW did nada for job security in last recession. Dropped Fremont like a hot potato to protect their core base in Detroit. UAW *chose* to exit this plant before Tesla even arrived. We had nothing to do with UAW leaving, but everything to do with why people here have jobs.”

Also, UAW did nada for job security in last recession. Dropped Fremont like a hot potato to protect their core base in Detroit. UAW *chose* to exit this plant before Tesla even arrived. We had nothing to do with UAW leaving, but everything to do with why people here have jobs.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 21, 2018

The Buffalo, New York factory Tesla employees sent an email to Elon Musk explaining their position, saying:

“Unionizing will further accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy because it will give us a voice in our workplace and in the goals we set for ourselves to accomplish…”

Tesla workers previously attempted to establish a union in 2017 and 2018, however, these efforts never came to fruition in the United States, as only German Tesla factories have established unions at this point.

Alexander J. Williams III