Tesla Giga Berlin Head Slams Media for 'False' Union Claims

Tesla’s leadership in Germany pushed back against local coverage, accusing a major outlet of spreading a campaign of "false information" aimed at creating turmoil at the company’s European manufacturing hub.

André Thierig, Senior Director of Manufacturing at Gigafactory Berlin, wrote on LinkedIn to "set the record straight" about a report from the German publication Handelsblatt. The report said the factory produced only 149,000 Model Ys in 2025, a number Thierig called incorrect. He said Giga Berlin actually built over 200,000 vehicles in 2025, despite a temporary production pause early in the year to reconfigure manufacturing lines for the new Model Y.

Setting the Production Record Straight

Thierig disputed suggestions that the factory is in crisis, noting that output rose quarter over quarter throughout 2025. He added that Tesla is planning an additional increase for the first quarter of 2026.

"The Handelsblatt degenerates into the mouthpiece of IG Metall," Thierig wrote, alleging the outlet is working with the German metalworkers’ union to "create fear and uncertainty among the workforce and thus influence voter behavior". He also ridiculed the claim that Tesla’s profit margin was just 0.74%, attributing it to their "secret 'arithmetic skills'".

The Backstory: Tesla vs. IG Metall

The dispute is part of a broader struggle at Giga Berlin between Tesla’s fast-moving, non-union approach and Germany’s strong labor union tradition.

IG Metall currently represents the largest coalition on the Giga Berlin works council but does not hold an outright majority. With elections for a new council set for early March, tensions are elevated. Elon Musk recently told employees he would approve massive expansions for Giga Berlin and bring Semi, Optimus, and Cybercab production to the factory — but only if they vote to keep external organizations like IG Metall from steering the company in the "wrong direction".

Tesla is also currently embroiled in a labor dispute in Sweden with IF Metall (a separate union from Germany’s IG Metall), underscoring that the company’s anti-union stance is central to its European strategy.

Why the Sentiment?

Thierig argues the negative coverage serves two aims: advancing the union’s agenda and driving clicks. "Scandals in connection with Tesla click great," he wrote, calling the coverage "campaign journalism" intended to profit from sensationalism.

As Giga Berlin employees prepare to vote next week, the stakes are high. Tesla is pitching the opportunity to build the future of robotics and autonomy in Germany, provided workers opt for the "Tesla way" over traditional union representation. Whether this public rebuke influences the result remains to be seen.