Elon Musk scores win in Tesla Germany works council election

Candidates backed by management-friendly groups won the latest works council election at Tesla’s factory in Grünheide, dealing a setback to the powerful German labor union IG Metall.

The election, held at Tesla’s Gigafactory near Berlin, allowed more than 10,000 employees to vote for representatives to the plant’s 37-seat works council.

According to preliminary results, the “Giga United” list led by current works council chair Michaela Schmitz won about 40.4% of the vote, securing the largest share of seats.

The “IG Metall Tesla Workers GFBB” list finished second with 31.1%, down from roughly 39.4% in the previous election in 2024. 

The result reduced the union’s representation from 16 seats to 13, while Schmitz’s group gained 16 seats.

Overall voter turnout reached about 87%, slightly lower than the previous election. A total of 550 candidates across 11 lists competed for seats on the works council.

Works councils are a key feature of Germany’s labour system and are intended to represent employees independently from management. 

Following the vote, IG Metall said it is considering legal action against Tesla, alleging the company’s management may have improperly influenced the election process.

The union has previously clashed with the electric-vehicle manufacturer over labor conditions and organising efforts at the Grünheide facility.

Tesla has not publicly commented on the allegations. The company’s CEO, Elon Musk, has previously criticised unions and warned that increased union influence could affect future investment decisions.

The outcome highlights ongoing tensions between Tesla and organised labor at the German plant, one of the company’s largest manufacturing facilities in Europe.