Tesla has filed a criminal complaint in Germany against a representative of a major industrial trade union. The complaint accuses the union member of trying to secretly record a works council meeting at Tesla’s factory near Berlin.
The incident has added fresh tension to an already strained relationship between the carmaker and the union. It also comes just weeks before important works council elections at the factory.
The Berlin-area plant is Tesla’s only vehicle factory in Europe. Around 11,000 employees work there. The factory plays a key role in the company’s operations on the continent.
Alleged secret recording at works council meeting
According to an internal memo sent to employees, the controversy began during a works council meeting held on Tuesday. The council had called the meeting to discuss issues affecting workers at the German factory.
An external representative from the industrial union attended the session as a guest. However, company management said it noticed the representative recording the meeting on a laptop computer. As a result, tensions quickly rose inside the room.
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Management stressed in the memo that the works council meeting was not open to the public. Therefore, it stated that recording non-public statements without permission violates German law and can amount to a criminal offense.
Once management identified the alleged recording, it removed the union representative from the meeting. Soon after, police officers arrived and confiscated the laptop computer, the memo said. Meanwhile, a news agency first reported that Tesla had filed a criminal complaint over the incident. At the time of reporting, neither Tesla Germany nor local police provided immediate public comment.
In response, the union’s group on the works council firmly denied the accusation. It issued a public statement calling the company’s claim a “blatant and calculated lie.” At the same time, neither the memo nor the union disclosed the name of the representative involved.
Rising tensions before key elections
The complaint comes at a sensitive time. Elections for the works council are scheduled for next month. The works council is an important body in German companies. It represents employees and discusses workplace issues with management. While it does not act like a traditional union, it has significant influence over working conditions.
The industrial union involved is campaigning to gain control of the works council at Tesla’s German factory. It wants to secure a majority of seats. In the last works council elections, held in 2024, the union received the most votes among employees. However, it did not win a majority. Instead, the council is currently led by a coalition of independent groups.
Gaining a majority would be an important step for the union. It aims to negotiate a collective pay agreement for Tesla employees in Germany. At present, Tesla’s plant near Berlin is the only vehicle factory in Germany where wages are not set through a collective bargaining agreement. In many other German car plants, unions negotiate wages and working hours directly with management.
The union accused Tesla of using the criminal complaint as a political move ahead of the election. It suggested the complaint was meant to influence employee voting. Meanwhile, Tesla’s German management has argued that a union-negotiated wage agreement could hurt the company’s competitiveness. The company says it operates in a challenging market. High production costs have already pushed several carmakers in Germany to cut jobs.
A senior manager at the German factory previously told a press agency that expansion plans could be affected if election results favor the union. He said decision-makers in the United States might reconsider further investment if the works council shifts in that direction.
Broader conflict over unionization and falling sales of Tesla
The clash in Germany is part of a larger pattern. Tesla has faced union-related disputes in other countries as well. In Sweden, the company has been in conflict with unions since 2023. The dispute centers on Tesla’s refusal to sign a collective bargaining agreement with mechanics.
In the United States, Tesla has also been accused of anti-union conduct. The company’s leadership has openly criticized unionization efforts. At the same time, Tesla is dealing with business challenges. The company recently lost its position as the world’s largest electric car maker to a Chinese competitor.
Global sales declined by 9 percent last year, falling to 1.6 million vehicles. The drop was sharper in Europe. In 2025, Tesla’s sales in Europe fell by 27 percent, reaching 239,000 units, according to data from a European car industry trade body. The decline in Europe has been linked in part to political controversies surrounding the company’s leadership and support for certain political parties.
Despite the sales slowdown, Tesla’s factory near Berlin continues to operate at a significant scale. Management statements say the plant currently produces around 5,000 vehicles per week. That equals roughly 250,000 cars per year.
The Berlin plant remains a key asset for Tesla’s European strategy. However, the ongoing dispute with the union adds pressure at a time when the company is navigating both economic challenges and political debates.
The criminal complaint over the alleged secret recording has therefore become more than a legal matter. It now sits at the center of a larger conflict involving workplace representation, wage negotiations, and the future direction of Tesla’s operations in Germany.
As the works council elections approach, tensions between local management and the union appear to be intensifying. The outcome of this dispute could influence labor relations at Tesla’s only European factory during a period of major change for the global electric vehicle industry.
