Tesla mandates a work-from-home day for its Brandenburg factory staff.
A spokesperson has announced that production at Tesla's Grünheide plant, located southeast of Berlin, will halt on May 10, with production line staff instructed to work remotely.
The Berlin Tesla factory will suspend operations for four days
Employees, both administrative and production line workers, at Tesla's Grünheide factory have been instructed to telecommute on May 10. This decision coincides with the ongoing presence of protest groups "Disrupt Tesla" and "Turn off the tap for Tesla," who have been camping in the nearby forest for four days to oppose Elon Musk's expansion plans for the factory.
According to a Tesla spokesperson, "The cessation of production on the bridge day [the day following the Ascension public holiday on May 9] is unrelated to protests." Tesla stated that employees were notified in January about the mandatory work-from-home arrangement on May 10, resulting in a total halt in production for four days.
Following their establishment of a camp in the nearby forest on May 6, protesters intend to hold an event near the factory on Friday, featuring discussion sessions and recreational activities. Although the group had planned to encourage factory employees to participate, Tesla's imposition of a home office policy has disrupted their plans.
What are Grünheide residents and protestors discontented about?
While Elon Musk's decision to establish Europe's sole Tesla factory has sparked tension in Berlin and Brandenburg since its announcement in 2019, opposition to the company has intensified in recent months.
In February 2024, 76 percent of locals voted against Musk's expansion proposals for the factory in a non-binding referendum. The proposed expansion, subject to a vote by the Grünheide municipality on May 16, would necessitate the clearing of an additional 250 acres of pine forest surrounding the existing 740-acre plant.
In addition to concerns regarding deforestation, there are significant apprehensions about Tesla's water consumption. Despite Brandenburg's abundance of lakes and Grünheide's location between two of them, the region faces water scarcity, exacerbated by the fine soil texture that facilitates deeper pollutant infiltration, potentially contaminating drinking water.
Safety issues within the Brandenburg plant are also raising alarms. Since its inception in 2022, German magazine Stern has reported an above-average number of accidents at the facility. These incidents include a battery fire resulting in soil contamination from leaked water and an illicit petrol station that leaked 250 liters of diesel "uncontrollably."
"Each day of halted production means fewer days of workers being exposed to potential hazards," remarked Disrupt Tesla spokesperson Lucia Mende to taz. "Our objective is a complete transition in production."