EVwire brief: Sweden's Supreme Court has agreed to hear Tesla's long-running case against Postnord, whose workers are currently on strike against the company.
The dispute has an oddly specific origin: Swedish law requires registration plates to be delivered exclusively through Postnord, the state-owned postal service. This means that when postal workers stopped all deliveries to Tesla as a sympathy action in support of IF Metall, it effectively froze Tesla's ability to receive plates for its cars.
Hat tip to our friend Anders Nyman for sharing this story on X:
Tesla called the situation "very serious, nearly system-threatening" and sued. It has lost at both the District Court and Appeals Court, with judges ruling each time that the labor actions are constitutionally protected. Tesla was also ordered to pay around 8.5 million kronor ($919,262) in legal costs.
The Supreme Court will now decide the core question: can constitutionally protected strike actions legally block a company's access to postal services? Written exchanges are expected through August, with a hearing not expected before February or March next year.
Tesla Sweden has maintained that its employees do not need a union
Context:
The IF Metall strike began in October 2023 after Tesla refused to sign a collective bargaining agreement with the trade union, which is a common practice in Sweden but not legally mandated. The goal of the sympathy actions is straightforward: squeeze Tesla's operations hard enough that signing becomes the easier option.
Beyond Postnord, dock workers stopped unloading Tesla vehicles at Swedish ports and cleaners refused to service Tesla facilities, among other efforts. Electricians have also attempted to halt the expansion of the Supercharger network. Tesla has fought back with workarounds, such as having buyers order plates directly, delivering cars by road to bypass port blockades, and using temporary replacement plates.
Unions have been trying to halt the expansion of the Supercharger network in Sweden
Tesla has continued to perform well in Sweden despite the unions’ ongoing efforts. The Tesla Model Y even became the country’s most-registered car in March. Tesla has also become the fastest-selling used EV in Sweden. FSD Supervised has also started tests in the Municipality of Strängnäs.
Tesla has had some wins in its disputes against the country’s unions, including two cases against IF Metall in Sweden's Labor Court. IF Metall was ordered by the Labor Court to pay 827,500 kronor ($89,493) to cover Tesla Sweden’s legal expenses.
Source: Dagens Industri
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