Thierig also pointed out that sick leave tended to increase on Fridays and late shifts. “That is not an indicator of bad working conditions because the working conditions are the same on all working days and across all shifts. It suggests that the German social system is being exploited to some extent,” he said.
This is not the first time Tesla has appeared less than sympathetic to the health of its workers. During the pandemic, the company had to be pressured into closing its factory in California, setting up a feud between Musk and the state that has since seen him relocate Tesla to Texas.
The IG Metall trade union, which represents some of the workers at the Berlin-Brandenburg factory, expressed its dismay at this move. Workloads at the factory have stressed employees, and those who haven’t called out sick have to pick up the slack for their colleagues who have.
“If the factory’s overseers really want to reduce the level of sickness, they should break this vicious circle,” said Dirk Schulze, a regional director at IG Metall.
