Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) has attempted to quell allegations that it fired staff over their plans to create a new trade union in Buffalo, New York state, suggesting instead they were laid off due to “poor performance”.
The electric vehicle maker argued it had moved to fire staff before having heard about the unionisation plans on Tuesday, adding just one worker was involved in the campaign, out of 27 affected.
Organisers claim that more than 30 staff were laid off in response to their plans, however, suggesting Tesla made the sackings a day after the union was proposed on Tuesday.
Arian Berek, a fired employee, said: “I strongly feel this is in retaliation to the committee announcement and it's shameful,” adding to allegations made to government labour officials.
"The employees let go as part of this process received prior feedback on their poor performance from their managers […] Despite feedback, they did not demonstrate sufficient improvement," Tesla said in a statement.
Tesla workers from the Buffalo facility, which employs around 2,000 people, added they would push ahead with plans to hold a vote on the new trade union, regardless of previous comments made by chief executive Elon Musk in 2018 and last year opposing to such groups.
"Why pay union dues & give up stock options for nothing,” he tweeted in 2018, responding to allegations that Tesla's factories were unsafe.