New wave of layoffs at Tesla, the NLRB files a complaint against the company

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A new round of layoffs has been announced at Tesla’s Gigafactory 2 in South Buffalo.

This week, according to a WARN notice from the Department of Labor, 3 employees were laid off.

Less than a month ago, Tesla laid off 285 of its 2,032 employees. Then, at the end of April, 26 more people lost their jobs and last week, five more were laid off.

RELATED: ‘Oh My God, I’m Really Out of a Job’: Tesla Layoffs Will Affect Some South Buffalo Gigafactory Employees

Dean Lewis and Rabb Burrough, former Tesla employees, said they were not surprised to learn of the layoffs.

Both were laid off from the South Buffalo Gigafactory in January.

“We don’t need more revolving door unemployment. Stability is the best thing to improve Western New York, and that’s not what we’re getting,” Burrough said.

WKBW

“That’s what Tesla does. That’s what Tesla stands for right now and they’re not keeping the promise they made to the city of Buffalo,” Lewis added. “It’s not right. You know, you came to Buffalo. You got massive tax breaks. You have, you know, this facility that you have, you have a city that teams up with people who want really work.”

The Gigafactory here in South Buffalo opened in 2017 after New York State spent $959 million to build the high-tech facility.

Under the deal, Tesla is leasing the building for $1 per year through 2027 in exchange for keeping at least 1,460 jobs in Buffalo.

The plant has consistently maintained these employment requirements and still employs 1,720 people, 260 jobs more than state-mandated requirements.

Lewis and Burrough said they were victims of unfair treatment while working here.

“This company is known for its anti-union practices. It’s known for its discrimination. It’s known for its nepotism,” Lewis said. “(Tesla) should be ashamed of themselves for coming to the city of Buffalo and treating this city this way.”

This week, the National Labor Relations Board filed a lawsuit against Tesla, saying the company had a workplace technology policy designed to discourage employees from forming or joining a union.

Art Wheaton, director of social studies at Cornell IRL, said the layoffs indicate the company is going through tough times. Year-over-year sales are down 13 percent.

“Elon Musk and Tesla do not recognize collective bargaining,” Wheaton said. “So that really creates havoc and turmoil in what’s happening for Tesla.”