Tesla may have paid $640,000 per worker to end Swedish strike

Tesla may have paid out approximately 60 million Swedish kronor, or nearly $640,000 per worker, to end the strike involving Swedish car mechanics, according to reports.

Experts familiar with labor disputes consider these figures exceptionally high. The strike, initiated by the IF Metall union, lasted for two years and ten months. It was notable not only for its length but also for the unusual nature of the settlement. While buying out employees has occurred before, doing so in this context, specifically to avoid signing a collective agreement, and on this scale is considered extremely rare.

IF Metall had been demanding that Tesla sign a collective agreement, a standard practice in Sweden for ensuring workers' rights and conditions. Tesla's refusal to engage in collective bargaining led to the prolonged industrial action, which involved sympathy actions from other unions and significant public attention.