BERLIN — Tesla on Tuesday rejected claims by a German union and up to date media reviews that well being and security provisions at its gigafactory close to Berlin have been insufficient, stating that defending employees’ well being was a high precedence.
The U.S. electrical car maker got here below scrutiny prior to now fortnight after German media citing native authority paperwork in Brandenburg reported an unusually excessive variety of work-related accidents requiring employees to take at the least three days of sick depart have been occurring on the plant, which employs round 11,000 employees.
The report detailed accidents that included critical accidents reminiscent of burns from hydrochloric acid and amputated limbs.
On Monday, German union IG Metall stated its membership numbers from Tesla employees have been rising steeply amid issues over well being and security in addition to overwork. Reuters was not in a position to independently confirm the union’s claims or the media report.
In a written assertion, Tesla stated employees acquired coaching on needed security measures, in addition to protecting clothes. The plant was topic to common checks by native authorities that security measures have been being revered, it added.
The corporate didn’t handle the precise claims of the union or media reviews relating to the variety of accidents or employees off sick on the plant.
Reuters spoke to 12 employees on the manufacturing unit on Monday.
Whereas 4 stated they have been glad with working situations, eight stated stress for pace was too excessive, with some reporting excessive incidence of accidents and points with receiving extra time pay.
Brandenburg’s authority on occupational security and well being stated to Reuters it solely held information of significant accidents at work leading to over six weeks of inpatient therapy or everlasting bodily harm, of which there had been six on the Tesla plant in 2021 and 2022.
The authority’s employees performed weekly security checks on the plant throughout its building section and now visited fortnightly, with unannounced checks each 6-8 weeks, it added.