Union leaders should resign after losing fight against Tesla

The leadership of the Swedish union IF Metall should resign following the union's failed strike against electric car manufacturer Tesla, argues Staffan Eriksson in an opinion piece for Dagens Nyheter. The author contends that the union's leadership pursued the conflict for years without a credible strategy for victory, despite the costs borne by its members.

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The responsible parties for this 'prestige project' must offer their resignations.

Eriksson criticizes the union leaders for maintaining the prolonged dispute, which he describes as a "prestige project." He notes that union members were kept from their jobs while leaders spoke of "the Swedish model" and appeared in media. Ultimately, he writes, striking members accepted Tesla's offers and moved on, leaving IF Metall without a collective agreement and with a significant strategic failure.

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A union belongs to its members, not to the ombudsmen and officials who have proclaimed political slogans with bombastic tones.

The author dismisses the union's offer of a white paper and self-critical statements as insufficient. He calls for immediate extra member votes on confidence in the leadership responsible for the conflict. "A union belongs to its members, not to the ombudsmen and officials who have proclaimed political slogans with bombastic tones," Eriksson writes.

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I am no fan of Musk. On the contrary. It is sour to give Musk a victory. Even more sour for the ordinary workers who were denied their careers.

He expresses personal dislike for Elon Musk but states it is more bitter to concede victory to him than for ordinary workers who were denied their careers. Eriksson suggests that union leaders should be trained in entrepreneurship to improve their success in negotiations and conflicts with employers. He concludes that, after the "Tesla debacle," it is the members, not the union leaders themselves, who should decide who remains in power.

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Train union leaders in entrepreneurship, and they will win more victories in negotiations and conflicts with business owners.