Story by DPA International •
The IG Metall logo hangs above the stage at the regular IG Metall trade union conference. Germany's metals industry trade union IG Metall said it supports the planned factory expansion of electric car manufacturer Tesla near Berlin and is calling for dialogue in the face of citizens' concerns.
Daniel Karmann/dpa© DPA International
Germany's metals industry trade union IG Metall said it supports the planned factory expansion of electric car manufacturer Tesla near Berlin and is calling for dialogue in the face of citizens' concerns.
Following a clear "no" vote in a public consultation in the municipality of Grünheide in Brandenburg, the union appealed to the company to address the concerns. Tesla wants to expand production and also extend the site to include a goods station and logistics areas.
Around two thirds of Grünheide residents voted against the expansion of the site in the survey.
"In principle, IG Metall supports the expansion of the plant, which will create thousands of jobs in the automotive industry," Dirk Schulze, IG Metall district manager for Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony, told dpa.
"It is important that Tesla seeks dialogue with citizens and responds to people's concerns and objections. However, an expansion with an almost doubling of industrial jobs would be a benefit for the state of Brandenburg and for Berlin, and therefore also for a larger basin area," he said.
The car manufacturer wants to build a goods station, warehouses and a company day-care centre on a neighbouring area of around 170 hectares.
Tesla wants to expand production on the existing site and double the planned 500,000 cars per year to 1 million. Conservationists and local residents criticize the fact that more than 100 hectares of forest are to be cleared for the expansion.
The municipal council in Grünheide still has to approve the development plan. Several local councillors have announced that they will honour the citizens' vote.
IG Metall once again campaigned in favour of good and secure jobs with collective agreements.
"The opinion from the local area was quite clear, with over 60% denying the planned expansion," Schulze said.
"We think this is also an expression of the fact that Tesla unfortunately does not present itself as a model employer in the region."
The union accused the company of "poor treatment of employees" and of being "closed-minded towards the population." Tesla has rejected the accusations. Prior to the consultation, the car manufacturer informed the residents of the region during an information tour.
Tesla is sticking to its expansion plans, despite the residents' rejection, but wants to go forward in a spirit of cooperation.
According to the company, it wants to coordinate further steps with all those involved on the basis of the feedback received in recent weeks. The logistical optimization of the plant is a great benefit for the community.
The aim is to shift a lot of lorry traffic to rail and expand the infrastructure around the factory.
The relationship between the car manufacturer and IG Metall is considered tense. Following a production stop due to the Houthi rebel attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, the union wanted to obtain more time in court for the planned second Tesla works council election.
The Labour Court in Frankfurt-an-der-Oder near the Polish border granted an application by IG Metall for a temporary injunction to stop the election and referred to procedural errors by the election committee.
Germany's metals industry trade union IG Metall said it supports the planned factory expansion of electric car manufacturer Tesla near Berlin and is calling for dialogue in the face of citizens' concerns.
Following a clear "no" vote in a public consultation in the municipality of Grünheide in Brandenburg, the union appealed to the company to address the concerns. Tesla wants to expand production and also extend the site to include a goods station and logistics areas.
Around two thirds of Grünheide residents voted against the expansion of the site in the survey.
"In principle, IG Metall supports the expansion of the plant, which will create thousands of jobs in the automotive industry," Dirk Schulze, IG Metall district manager for Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony, told dpa.
"It is important that Tesla seeks dialogue with citizens and responds to people's concerns and objections. However, an expansion with an almost doubling of industrial jobs would be a benefit for the state of Brandenburg and for Berlin, and therefore also for a larger basin area," he said.
The car manufacturer wants to build a goods station, warehouses and a company day-care centre on a neighbouring area of around 170 hectares.
Tesla wants to expand production on the existing site and double the planned 500,000 cars per year to 1 million. Conservationists and local residents criticize the fact that more than 100 hectares of forest are to be cleared for the expansion.
The municipal council in Grünheide still has to approve the development plan. Several local councillors have announced that they will honour the citizens' vote.
IG Metall once again campaigned in favour of good and secure jobs with collective agreements.
"The opinion from the local area was quite clear, with over 60% denying the planned expansion," Schulze said.
"We think this is also an expression of the fact that Tesla unfortunately does not present itself as a model employer in the region."
The union accused the company of "poor treatment of employees" and of being "closed-minded towards the population." Tesla has rejected the accusations. Prior to the consultation, the car manufacturer informed the residents of the region during an information tour.
Tesla is sticking to its expansion plans, despite the residents' rejection, but wants to go forward in a spirit of cooperation.
According to the company, it wants to coordinate further steps with all those involved on the basis of the feedback received in recent weeks. The logistical optimization of the plant is a great benefit for the community.
The aim is to shift a lot of lorry traffic to rail and expand the infrastructure around the factory.
The relationship between the car manufacturer and IG Metall is considered tense. Following a production stop due to the Houthi rebel attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, the union wanted to obtain more time in court for the planned second Tesla works council election.
The Labour Court in Frankfurt-an-der-Oder near the Polish border granted an application by IG Metall for a temporary injunction to stop the election and referred to procedural errors by the election committee.
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