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Tesla said it was suing “the Swedish state through the Swedish Transport Agency (the Motor Vehicle Authority)” because the lack of access to registration plates “constitutes an illegal discriminatory attack directed at Tesla.” That’s right, what’s happening in Sweden is a story destined to spark discussion, with possible impacts across Europe. Also because it continues to spread like wildfire, and the issue of license plates is only the latest vicissitude.
It all stems from the fact that Tesla is not unionized globally. Its workers are not protected as in the case, for example, of GM and other American groups, where the United Auto Workers has been negotiating much easier wages and working conditions for months. But now Swedish workers are demanding that the automaker sign a collective labor agreement, like most employees in Sweden. Elon Musk’s house, it seems, doesn’t seem very inclined. And the DMV doesn’t hand out license plates for new Teslas in an act of solidarity with metalworkers. It should be said that Tesla does not have a manufacturing plant in Sweden, but it does have several service centers. And the Swedish market represents the largest market in Europe for the leading company in the electricity market.
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Tesla’s lawsuit against Sweden for failure to deliver license plates is a very convoluted story, in short. The Texan car manufacturer asks the district court to impose a fine of 1 million crowns ($95,383) on the Swedish Motor Vehicle Authority to “force” it to “recover the license plates” within three days of notification of the district court’s decision.
The lawsuit was filed today, Monday 27 November. And according to Tesla, the agency has a “constitutional obligation to provide license plates to vehicle owners.” The fact that the license plates are being withheld “cannot be described in any other way than as a unique attack on a company operating in Sweden.”
Exactly one month ago, on October 27, 130 members of the powerful Swedish metalworkers’ union, IF Metall, went on strike in seven workshops across the country where popular electric cars are serviced, demanding a collective labor agreement. Swedish mechanics have stopped servicing Tesla cars and several unions, including postal workers, have joined together in a wave of solidarity that is very common in Sweden. Dockworkers at Sweden’s four largest ports have also halted deliveries of Tesla vehicles to put more pressure on the automaker.