Swedish Tesla Strikers Bought Out by Musk After Three-Year Battle

The strike against Tesla's Swedish branch, which began in October 2023, has ended - after CEO Elon Musk bought out the strikers. The Swedish metalworkers' union IF Metall confirmed the news.

Auto mechanics had fought for years for a collective bargaining agreement. Tesla refused to accept the union demand, reportedly due to Musk's deep aversion to unions. The Tesla chief has long declined numerous requests from over 100,000 workers seeking to join a union. Tesla was so opposed to the strike that it "preferred to buy out union members rather than offer them safe working conditions," according to union leader Simon Petersson.

The conflict drew wide attention thanks to sympathy actions by other unions. Swedish work culture relies heavily on agreements between employers and employees, and when Tesla refused to budge, other unions joined in.

During the protests, strikers received compensation from the union. While freelancers kept the workshop running, IF Metall supported the strikers outside the workplace with coffee and sandwiches, as the BBC reported in 2025.

The strike formally ends on August 19. How much money the Tesla repairers received to end the action has not been disclosed.