- Multiple workplace complaints were filed Tuesday by construction workers who assisted in the construction of Tesla’s Austin gigafactory.
- Documents reveal that workers accused subcontractors of withholding wages, and failing to protect them.
- Tesla workers have sued the company for unfair working conditions.
On Tuesday, multiple complaints were filed to the US Department of Labor by construction workers who worked on Tesla’s massive gigafactory in Austin. These claims included multiple labor violations.
The construction workers accused their subcontractors — those who employed and paid the workers — of withholding wages from some workers, According to a Workers Defense Project attorney, the complaint was filed, the non-profit representing construction workers.
A letter was sent to the subcontractors requesting confidentiality in the light of possible investigation.
Some workers claimed that overtime rates were not paid for work exceeding 40 hours per week. Workers also claimed they weren’t paid the double pay bonus that they promised for extra work they did over Thanksgiving weekend 2021.
Victor, a carpenter who worked at the plant and whose identity was withheld in his complaint, A separate complaint was filedTuesday: Claiming that an undisclosed subcontractor provided him with fabricated OSHA certifications without any workplace safety trainings, The Department of Labor needsConstruction industry employers must adhere to OSHA standards to prevent potential injuries to their employees.
—Workers Defense Project (@workersdefense) November 15, 2022
Victor addresses the complaint. The GuardianHis team and he didn’t have basic safety info, so he feared for his safety every single day.
Victor stated that he and his colleagues experienced difficult working conditions, including being on a roof without light to labor on top of a turbine with no face masks to stop the smoke from blowing.
He stated that they could even continue production on a floor that was filled with loose wires and cords from the water after the factory had flooded.
He told The Guardian that he recalled telling his wife, “I’m going home in this factory,” after these events.
Tesla didn’t respond to a request before publication.
In April, Tesla opened the Texas gigafactory.The manufacturer has opened a fourth US factory, allowing it to boost production of its electric vehicles.
Nonetheless, this isn’t the first time Tesla has received complaints about its working conditions.
An investigation published earlier this year by Insider’s Grace Kay and Áine Cain revealed that Tesla faced 46 lawsuits over the last 5 years from current and former Tesla workers alleging they were targeted over their race and gender. The majority of lawsuits were filed by Tesla workers, who fought back and demanded private arbitration.
Last year, Tesla paid $137 Million in damagesAn ex-Black Tesla employee reported that he was regularly subjected to racist slurs, such as the N word, on a daily basis.
2020 Insider reportedTesla did not disclose many factory injuries to regulators in its safety report to the state.
Und in 2018According to reports, Tesla factory workers expressed concerns about worker safety, injury recording and medical care at the Fremont, California factory. Reveal led the investigation.
According to the complaints, the construction workers want to recover their lost wages.
