Police Seize IG Metall Computer at Tesla Giga Berlin Ahead of March 2–4 Works Council Election

When local public radio and a top Tesla Giga Berlin executive are both talking about police entering an EV factory, you pay attention.

According to RBB, police seized the computer of an IG Metall union member at the Grünheide plant on Tuesday afternoon. Tesla told RBB that employees alerted authorities because a union representative allegedly secretly recorded a works council meeting. IG Metall denied the accusation. The union called it an election campaign tactic ahead of next month’s works council vote.

Andre Thierig wrote on X that an “external union representative from IG Metall” recorded the internal meeting “for unknown reasons” and was “caught in action.” Tesla says it filed a criminal complaint.

 

What has happened today at Giga Berlin is truly beyond words!
An external union representative from IG Metall attended a works council meeting. For unknown reasons he recorded the internal meeting and was caught in action! We obviously called police and filed a criminal…

— André Thierig (@AndrThie) February 10, 2026

This is not a minor HR dispute. This is a flashpoint.

And if you follow Tesla, especially in Europe, this matters more than it might first appear. In my opinion, this is really unprofessional. A union should never need to cheat or harass others to get members. Yet this is something I am seeing way too frequently in some areas.

Why This Story Is Bigger Than One Meeting

Let’s step back.

The works council election at Tesla Giga Berlin is scheduled for March 2–4, 2026. Nearly 11,000 employees are eligible to vote. That’s not a small group. That’s the backbone of Tesla’s European production strategy.

Under German law, works councils are powerful. They influence working conditions, shift structures, overtime policies, health and safety, and more. They do not control management decisions in the way unions do in the U.S., but they absolutely shape the daily reality of factory life.

Tesla’s last extraordinary works council election happened in 2024 because of rapid staff growth. The plant expanded fast. Workforce numbers surged. German labor law required a new vote. This 2026 election is the next regular cycle.

The announcement of the election date officially begins the campaign period.

Now, right at the start of that campaign, police enter the plant.

Timing matters.

The Core Allegation

Tesla says a union representative secretly recorded a works council meeting.

IG Metall denies this. Tesla calls police. Police seize a computer.

If someone did record a confidential works council session without consent, that could be a legal issue under German privacy and labor laws. Germany takes workplace data protection seriously. Very seriously.

But here’s the other side.

IG Metall is not just any union. It is one of Europe’s largest and most influential labor organizations. It has long pushed for stronger worker representation at Tesla’s Berlin plant. Relations between Tesla management and German labor groups have been tense for years. That is public knowledge.

So when IG Metall describes this as an “election campaign tactic,” it signals that this is not just about one meeting. It’s about influence. Control. Momentum going into the vote.

My 15 Years Covering Automakers Tell Me This Is a Pressure Point

I’ve covered automotive factories for over 15 years. Detroit. Japan. Europe. I’ve watched union negotiations collapse. I’ve seen executives misjudge local labor culture. I’ve also seen unions overplay their hand.

Tesla is not a traditional automaker. Its corporate DNA is Silicon Valley, not Stuttgart. It moves fast. It pushes hard. It resists what it sees as bureaucracy.

Germany is not California.

Germany has co-determination baked into its corporate culture. Worker representation is normalized. Institutionalized. Expected.

That cultural gap has always been the real tension at Giga Berlin.

This incident could either cool down after investigation. Or it could harden attitudes on both sides right before 11,000 employees cast ballots.

And elections are about narratives.

What Could Happen Next For Tesla Giga Berlin and IG Metall

There are several possible outcomes.

First, the legal path. If prosecutors determine that a recording occurred and violated laws, there could be consequences for the individual involved. That would validate Tesla’s decision to escalate.

Second, if no evidence supports the accusation, IG Metall could gain political and symbolic momentum going into the vote. Workers may perceive the police involvement as aggressive or disproportionate.

Third, even if this ends quietly, it may still shift internal perceptions. Workers talk. Factory floors are ecosystems of rumor and interpretation.

For Tesla, the risk is reputational inside the plant. Not outside. Outside headlines fade. Inside culture lingers.

And Tesla needs Giga Berlin stable.

This plant is central to Model Y production for Europe. It is critical for Tesla’s competitiveness against Volkswagen, BMW, and Chinese EV manufacturers expanding into the EU market. Production consistency matters. Labor peace matters. Especially as EV demand in Europe faces pricing pressure and margin compression.

Disruptions or heightened labor tension can affect productivity, morale, and long-term retention. Those are not abstract risks. They show up in output numbers.

Why Tesla Readers Should Care

If you follow Tesla as an investor, owner, or industry observer, this story touches three key themes:

1. Operational stability in Europe
2. Labor relations outside the United States
3. Tesla’s long-term manufacturing scalability

Giga Berlin is not just another plant. It was Tesla’s foothold into Europe. It symbolized Tesla going from exporter to regional manufacturer.

When police seize a device inside that facility during an election cycle, it signals friction.

Friction can be managed. But it must be managed well.

Torque News Take

In my view, Tesla was likely legally obligated to act if it believed a recording took place. Companies cannot ignore potential violations of confidential meetings.

At the same time, optics matter. Especially weeks before a works council election.

German workers are accustomed to structured labor dialogue. Any perception of escalation can influence sentiment. And sentiment influences votes.

The bigger test for Tesla is not this specific allegation. It is whether it can build a sustainable working relationship within Germany’s co-determination system.

This is not Texas. This is Brandenburg.

Tesla has proven it can build factories fast. The question now is whether it can build long-term institutional trust just as effectively.

That will determine how smooth the next four years at Giga Berlin look.

Two Questions for You

Do you think Tesla was right to immediately involve police over the alleged recording?

And do you believe this incident will influence the March 2–4 works council election outcome at Giga Berlin?

I’d like to hear your thoughts.

Armen Hareyan is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Linkedin, and Youtube. He has more than a decade of expertise in the automotive industry with a special interest in Tesla and electric vehicles.