The decision of two far-right groups in the European Parliament, Patriots for Europe and Europe of Sovereign Nations, to nominate notorious union-buster Elon Musk for the Sakharov human rights prize lays bare their anti-worker agenda.
The announcement comes just days after the International Trade Union Confederation named Tesla as one of six companies “that benefit financially by continuing to violate trade union and human rights.”
Musk’s company, which has sparked a historic strike at its manufacturing plant in Sweden by refusing to engage in collective bargaining, was also singled out in the 2024 ITUC Global Rights Index as an example of the increasing violations collective bargaining rights being committed in Europe.
New trade union research also shows that far-right MEPs consistently vote against the interests of working people despite attempting to position themselves as pro-worker.
Esther Lynch, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, said:
“The decision of far-right groups in the European Parliament to nominate Elon Musk for a human rights prize in the same week Tesla was named as one of the world’s worst corporations when it comes to violating human and trade unions rights shows their real anti-worker face.
“Trade union rights are human rights but Elon Musk has been named by the ITUC as one of the most notorious union busters in the world. Tesla has violated the fundamental right of workers to organise in unions and sparked a major strike in Sweden by refusing to engage in collective bargaining.
“The far-right have shown once again that they will always side with bosses over workers.”
Notes
European Parliament press release on nominations for the Sakharov prize
International Trade Union Confederation report on Tesla’s anti-worker record
