A Swedish district court has upheld an initial ruling stating that Postnord, the Swedish postal service, is not required to deliver license plates for Tesla (TSLA, Financial) vehicles. This decision comes as postal workers in Sweden refuse to deliver Tesla plates in solidarity with striking auto workers. Tesla is experiencing pressure from strong unions in the Nordic country, particularly from mechanics associated with the Swedish IF Metall union, which initiated a strike in October 2023 seeking a collective bargaining agreement with Tesla.
Despite the postal blockade, making it difficult to obtain license plates, reports indicate that Tesla has found a workaround by instructing car buyers to order plates themselves. The Nordic region is a crucial market for Tesla. The company maintains a policy of not agreeing to collective bargaining, claiming that its employee treatment meets or exceeds the demands of IF Metall.
Automotive sales data released earlier this month show that, despite the labor resistance, Tesla’s sales have continued to grow in Sweden over the first nine months of the year, resulting in an expansion of its market share.
