B U S I N E S S
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ILLUSTRATION
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● The Teslabosshaswon
over manyGermans,butlabor
senses agrowingthreat
As Tesla Inc. buildsitsfirstEuropeancarfactory,
in a patch of forestoutsideBerlin,ElonMuskhas
been on a relentlesscharmoffensive.He’spledged
to create thousandsofjobs;hetweetsinsurprisingly
good German; andata Septembereventhedonned
a heavy cord vestandwide-brimmedblackfelthat
like those traditionallywornbylocalcraftspeople.
The messagehasbeenwarmlyreceived,withpol-
iticians fast-trackingapprovalsforthefactoryand
locals clamoringforjobsina regionthatstruggles
toattractinvestment.OnNov.30,theTeslachief
executiveofficerswoopedintotheGermancapital
forthethirdtimeinasmanymonthstoacceptan
awardforhisentrepreneurialachievementsfrom
thepublisheroftheinfluentialBildtabloid.
Butthere’sonecorneroftheGermaneconomy
wherethelovefestfeelsmorelikea standoff:the
2.3million-memberIGMetalllaborunion.The
groupis ona collisioncoursewiththebillionaire
thatthreatenstoeitherundermineMusk’sambi-
tionsordiminishthepowerofanorganizationthat’s
longhadanoutsizeroleinthecountry’sautoindus-
trywithitsdemandsforbetterwagesandshiftsin
strategy, backed up by the very real threat of strikes.
The conflict centers on Tesla’s refusal to sign
the kind of collective wage agreements that are
Edited by
James E. Ellis and
David Rocks
Musk’s German
Charm Offensive