Elektromobilität: Tesla zahlt bis zu fünf Prozent mehr – und führt einen Leistungsbonus ein

Tesla, the US electric vehicle manufacturer, has announced a pay raise for employees at its Gigafactory in Greiz, effective from October 1st. Workers in salary grades S3 to S6 will receive a four percent increase, along with a new bonus for highly evaluated employees. In the lowest salary tiers S1 and S2, salaries will rise by five percent.

These positive developments for the workforce were announced on Monday by factory manager André Thierig and HR director Erik Demmler during a "Shopfloor Team Huddle" event. Both the swing shift and the evening and night shifts watched a recording of the announcement. "As with the last time, there will be free food," stated the invitation.

For S1 and S2, there will be no performance evaluation, the management explained the stronger increase for these salary groups. The percentage also applies to temporary workers from personnel provider Manpower in these salary tiers. In the lowest tier S1, an employee will now earn over 45,700 euros per year, including share value.

Factory manager Thierig announced the decision on Thursday during a works meeting. The annual review of wages is nearly complete, he said. And: "Everything is getting more expensive." Thierig had previously announced the decision at a works assembly. The annual review of wages had been completed since December 2025 and November 2024, when Tesla raised wages by four percent each time.

Since the factory's start in 2022, the total increase has amounted to more than 32 percent, calculated the factory management. "In that period, the collective bargaining agreements have only increased by 16 percent," Thierig said, "so only half as much." There is no collective bargaining agreement in Greiz. Negotiations for the metal and electrical industries begin on October 7th.

The IG Metall demands a five percent pay rise there. Now, the lowest wage groups at Tesla receive the same. In August, internal documents had shown how Tesla was restructuring compensation. Instead of raising base salaries, the company is increasingly distributing shares and options based on performance. A "Top-Talent" program for skilled workers and executives requires a rating of at least 3.5.

Now, this threshold extends to production. The new bonus in grades S3 to S6 is only given to those who have achieved a 3.5 or better in the past two evaluation cycles. The base salaries still increase. Thierig: "Waiting for the Go." The money comes in the midst of the ramp-up for the Brandenburg Gigafactory. Starting in October, production is to gradually increase from 6,200 to 7,500 vehicles per week.

The expansion of the factory is not yet decided, although a new highway is being built north of the plant. Before the works council election in March, CEO Elon Musk had linked the expansion to the influence of the IG Metall. "We will not close the factory, but realistically we will not expand either," he said in a video for the workforce.

The IG Metall lost the election, but still, nothing was decided. At the works assembly, Thierig chose a sports image. Imagine "standing at the starting block, like in the 100-meter sprint." "When the USA says a 'Go,' we can take off," Thierig said. More: "No more shouting": Internal documents reveal a strained workforce in the German Tesla factory.