Tesla faces blockade at Swedish ports over labor dispute

Tesla is coming under increased pressure in Sweden after a union for transport workers said it planned to extend its blockade of the automaker’s shipments to every Swedish port, starting Nov. 17.

The Swedish Transport Workers’ Union had earlier announced it would refuse to load and unload Tesla cars in four Swedish ports following the U.S. company’s refusal to sign collective labor agreements with its mechanics.

IF Metall members working in 10 Tesla services shops and roughly 20 repair centers have been striking since Oct. 27.

“We have received signals that Tesla cars are being rescheduled for other Swedish ports and we are now completely closing that possibility,” said Tommy Wreeth from the Transport Workers’ Union in a statement.

Tesla could see the pressure in Sweden ratchet even higher in the coming weeks as other unions demand improved terms for workers through collective agreements.

Speaking in an interview with newspaper Dagens Industri on Tuesday, Susanna Gideonsson, chairwoman of the Swedish Trade Union Confederation, warned that the organization stands ready to escalate the conflict if Tesla does not change its stance.

Tesla told Swedish news agency TT that it “already offers equivalent or better agreements than those covered by collective bargaining and finds no reason to sign any other agreement.”

Sweden is Tesla’s fifth-biggest market in Europe, with a total of 16,309 new cars registered in the first nine months of the year.