Michelle Berger is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s News and Commentary: Tesla faces solidarity strikes in northern Europe, hundreds of workers are leaving The Washington Post, and the United Steelworkers union is attempting to block the purchase of U.S. Steel by a Japanese company.
A comprehensive article in the Washington Post last week detailed the sustained labor actions that have been targeting Tesla in Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark — and highlighted the differences between Nordic and American labor law. The origin of the dispute is in Sweden, where Tesla technicians are on strike demanding a collective bargaining agreement. The article reports that 65 percent of Swedish workers are unionized and 90 percent are covered by CBAs, which fill an essential role in a country that lacks, for example, minimal wage laws. At this point, tens of thousands of Nordic workers are taking action to pressure Tesla: port workers in Norway and Sweden are refusing to process Tesla shipments, Danish truckers won’t make Tesla deliveries, and in Sweden, cleaners, electricians, and waste collectors are all withholding their labor and services from Tesla. If Tesla recognizes a union in Sweden, it could be an infliction point for a company led by vocally anti-union Elon Musk. In November, the UAW announced its intention to organize Tesla in the United States.
Journalists are leaving the Washington Post amid a period of financial strain and labor unrest at the historic newspaper that was purchased by Jeff Bezos in 2013. The newspaper’s management offered buyouts in the fall, and suggested that employees would face layoffs unless 240 employees took the offer. As a result, the Washington Post Guild told the Washingtonian, more employees expressed their intention to leave than management expected.
The United Steelworkers union is attempting to block the purchase of U.S. Steel by a Japanese company. The union is lobbying a bipartisan group of lawmakers to pressure regulators to block the deal on national security grounds. It is also contending that the deal occurred in violation of its CBA with the company.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
January 12
Changes to EEOC voting procedures; workers tell SCOTUS to pass on collective action cases; Mamdani's plans for NYC wages.
January 11
Colorado unions revive push for pro-organizing bill, December’s jobs report shows an economic slowdown, and the NLRB begins handing down new decisions
January 9
TPS cancellation litigation updates; NFL appeals Second Circuit decision to SCOTUS; EEOC wins retaliation claim; Mamdani taps seasoned worker advocates to join him.
January 8
Pittsburg Post-Gazette announces closure in response to labor dispute, Texas AFT sues the state on First Amendment grounds, Baltimore approves its first project labor agreement, and the Board formally regains a quorum.
January 7
Wilcox requests en banc review at DC Circuit; 9th Circuit rules that ministry can consider sexual orientation in hiring decisions
January 5
Minor league hockey players strike and win new deal; Hochul endorses no tax on tips; Trump administration drops appeal concerning layoffs.