UAW president criticizes Tesla: “Most of those staff in these firms are scraping to get by”

Throughout a latest broadcast of CBS’ Face the Nation, United Auto Staff (UAW) President Shawn Fain and Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan mentioned the continuing strike affecting Ford, Normal Motors (GM), and Stellantis. Fain and Dingell referenced Tesla throughout the broadcast, and the UAW president expressed his displeasure at CEO Elon Musk. 

Tesla doesn’t use unionized labor, so even amidst the UAW’s ongoing strike, the EV maker’s crops are working usually. Analysts have famous that Tesla would change into the large winner within the UAW’s labor talks. Ford, for its half, famous that the UAW’s calls for would greater than double its labor prices, that are already increased than Tesla, Toyota, and different automakers that don’t use union labor. 

In response to those sentiments, Fain acknowledged that labor prices are solely a really small a part of a automobile’s worth. “First off, labor prices are about 5 % of the price of the automobile. They might double our wages and never increase the value of the autos and nonetheless make billions in income. It’s a alternative. And the truth that they need to evaluate it to how — how pitiful Tesla pays their staff and different firms pay their staff, that’s what this entire argument’s about,” he mentioned. 

“Most of those staff in these firms are scraping to get by in order that grasping CEOs and grasping individuals like Elon Musk can construct extra rocket ships and shoot theirself in outer house. And that’s unacceptable,” Fain mentioned. 

Rep. Debbie Dingell, for her half, argued that Tesla has an enormous discrepancy in what the corporate is paying its workers. Dingell additionally claimed that Teslas are nonetheless out of attain for most individuals within the nation, together with a whole lot of executives.

“Tesla does have an enormous discrepancy in what they’re paying their workers. And most of the people on this nation can’t afford a Tesla. Even a whole lot of executives can’t afford to purchase a Tesla,” the consultant mentioned. 

For context, knowledge from Kelley Blue E-book places the typical price of a brand new automobile at $48,008 as of March 2023. Tesla’s most reasonably priced automobile, the Mannequin 3 sedan, begins at $40,240 earlier than incentives, which is decrease than the US common. The Mannequin Y, Tesla’s best-selling automobile and a crossover, begins at $50,490 earlier than incentives, which is fairly near the US common. Each the Mannequin 3 and Mannequin Y additionally qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit score for eligible consumers, making them much more reasonably priced. 

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UAW president criticizes Tesla: “Most of those staff in these firms are scraping to get by”