BUFFALO, N.Y. — The union behind the successful effort to organize Starbucks, both here and nationally, is trying to do likewise at Tesla’s plant in South Buffalo. But, much like with Starbucks, organizers are squaring off with an employer with a history of aggressively fending off unionizing efforts.
To wit, just one day after Tesla Workers United announced its organizing drive, Tesla fired 30 employees at its Buffalo plant, including some members of the union organizing team. They were dismissed via email Wednesday evening.
“I strongly feel this is in retaliation to the committee announcement and it’s shameful,” Arian Berek, a fired worker and union organizer, said in a statement.