Electric vehicle maker Tesla (TSLAUS) was actually prevented from delivering new cars to Swedish customers after losing an appeal against the Swedish postal service. Local law stipulates that license plate delivery cannot be done by any means other than mail. The Swedish court's ruling against Tesla means that the company is unable to obtain license plates for new electric vehicles, making it difficult for customers to legally drive Tesla vehicles on the road. Sweden is Tesla's fifth-largest European market. Postal workers in Sweden refused to handle any Tesla-related mail in support of mechanics at repair shops who began their strike on October 27.
Tesla's conflict with Swedish workers has spread to other Nordic countries such as Finland, Denmark, and Norway. Tesla's rejection of the so-called "Nordic model" of labor rights has angered even institutional investors, including Nordea Union Bank and Danske Bank, who have sent a letter to Tesla CEO Elon Musk demanding a change of stance.
Tesla's deliveries in the Nordic region have begun to surpass Germany's.
The Swedish Court of Appeal reportedly said that the postal service "cannot bring the workers' action to an end and that its position of respecting legitimate workers' action does not constitute sabotage". It added that any approval of Tesla's request could infringe on employees' right to take action.
Tesla has until January 18 next year to challenge the court's ruling.
Previously, Tesla suffered a similar setback in another lawsuit. Tesla sued the Swedish Transport Authority over the delivery of license plates. Last week, a court provisionally ruled that Tesla could not collect license plates directly from manufacturers.
This article is sourced from: the financial world.