Tesla strike in Sweden to end after nearly three years

Sweden's metalworkers' union IF Metall said it will end its strike against Tesla as of August 19, almost three years after the labour action began.

The union said on Thursday that Tesla had bought out all of its striking members. The strike began on October 27, 2023, when mechanics at 10 Tesla repair shops in seven cities walked off the job over the company's refusal to sign a collective agreement with IF Metall.

Simon Petersson, IF Metall's negotiating secretary, accused Tesla of choosing to buy out union members rather than give them secure working conditions. He also accused the company of systematic strikebreaking.

The dispute expanded during the strike to include other repair shops servicing Tesla vehicles and became a wider conflict involving almost a dozen unions seeking to protect Sweden's collective bargaining model.

Sweden's National Mediation Office ended attempts to mediate between the parties in September 2025. Tesla's Swedish subsidiary has argued that its workers have agreements equivalent to or better than those under collective agreements.