Police have seized a computer belonging to a member of the IG Metall union at Tesla’s Giga Berlin facility amid accusations that a works council meeting was secretly recorded. The union has strongly denied the electric vehicle manufacturer’s claims.
Incident at Giga Berlin
The allegations surfaced on X, where Gigafactory Berlin plant manager André Thierig stated that an external union representative from IG Metall attended a works council meeting and allegedly recorded the proceedings. Thierig described the incident as “truly beyond words” and announced that police had been called and a criminal complaint filed.
In his post on X, Thierig wrote, “What has happened today at Giga Berlin is truly beyond words! An external union representative from IG Metall attended a works council meeting. For unknown reasons he recorded the internal meeting and was caught in action! We obviously called police and filed a criminal complaint!”
Local news outlet rbb24 confirmed that police seized a computer from an IG Metall member at the Giga Berlin site on Tuesday afternoon. Tesla stated that employees alerted authorities after discovering the alleged recording.
Union Rejects Claims, Cites Election Tactics
IG Metall has refuted Tesla’s accusations, asserting that its representative did not record the meeting. The union suggested that Tesla’s claims are a tactic ahead of the upcoming works council elections.
Upcoming Works Council Elections
The next works council election at Giga Berlin is scheduled to take place from March 2 to 4, 2026. Management at the facility has confirmed these dates to local news outlets, marking the commencement of the election process and campaign period. Approximately 11,000 employees are eligible to vote in this election.
The previous works council election at the plant was held in 2024, prompted by a significant increase in the workforce. German labor law mandates that works council elections occur every four years, falling between March 1 and May 31.