At Tesla plant in Germany, 17% of workers are on sick leave and 200 haven't been to work since the beginning of the year - Ilon Musk shocked

Tesla's production facility in Germany is facing an unusual issue — sick leave. Employees are taking advantage of the social system, while unions claim that the workplace conditions are extremely tough.

André Tirig, the production director at Tesla's Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg, reported that as of August, the sick leave rate at the plant increased to 17% among its total workforce of 12,000. This is significantly higher compared to 5.2% in the German automotive industry in 2023. Furthermore, 200 full-time employees have received their pay without ever showing up to work in 2024.

“We will not tolerate a situation where some individuals are working hard while others simply refuse to come to work. This factory is no place for people who can’t get out of bed in the mornings,” Tirig stated to the employees.

Top executives selected 30 employees who were on sick leave and visited them at home. The workers were not particularly pleased to find their bosses knocking at their doors. Such home visits are not common in the auto industry—though they are relatively rare, they are legal. The company aims to appeal to the employees' work ethic.

“This isn’t an indication of poor working conditions, as the work environment is consistent across all working days and shifts. It suggests that the German social system is being exploited to some extent,” Tirig said.

However, the IG Metall union argues that the factory fosters a “culture of fear.” According to the union, which includes 16 members on the factory council out of 39, the organization of work leads to stress among workers and has caused the sick leave rate to rise to 15% or higher.

“Employees from nearly all departments of the factory have reported an extremely high workload. When there are not enough staff, sick workers feel pressured, and those who remain healthy are overloaded with additional tasks,” said Dirk Schulze, the regional director of the union.

Factory workers should expect increased scrutiny in the near future: Elon Musk has been informed of the issue. On X (formerly Twitter), Musk stated that “this sounds crazy” and he is looking into the situation.

This sounds crazy. Looking into it.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 26, 2024

“Here in Germany, especially in Berlin, ‘sick days’ are usually seen as days for parties or hangovers,” commented one user.

Generally, Elon Musk is not sympathetic towards employees who do not meet his rigorous standards. After acquiring Twitter, Musk announced massive layoffs and raised expectations from labor. Earlier this year, Tesla laid off thousands of people, and Musk instructed management to dismiss those who are not prepared for harsh conditions.

Sources: Handelsblatt, The Guardian, Quartz