The ambitions of Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk are sky high, but factory workers are suffering to realise them. Factory workers complain of long working hours, high pressure and work-related injuries.
Between 2013 and 2016, the recorded incident rate at Tesla’s manufacturing plants was above industry average. Former factory workers who were interviewed by the Guardian described a culture of requiring long working hours under intense pressure in order to meet the high production goals. Tesla projected to produce 500.000 electric cars in 2018, which is an increase of 495% compared to 2016.
Because of its promise of transforming the carbon-reliant auto industry, the company has grown significantly in the past few years. The company is now somewhere between a tech startup and a large car manufacturer. For its production it is relying on high-tech robots, but also on a considerable human workforce of thousands of people.
Factory workers do share Elon Musks’s enthusiasm for the transformation to a sustainable energy future, but are disappointed about the poor working conditions. Tesla commented to the Guardian that it is determined to improve its safety standards.
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