Tesla reopening: Electric carmaker gets official OK from local government
Alameda County approved Tesla's health and safety plans to officially restart car production this week, according to the automaker.
The Tesla/Alameda County drama is over. Both sides reached an agreement over the weekend to officially grant the carmaker all the ability to restart production at its plant in Fremont, California amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Silicon Valley Business Journal reported on the agreement after viewing a leaked letter from Tesla's vice president for environmental, health and safety, Laurie Shelby. In the letter, Shelby reportedly said, "We have local support to get back to full production at the factory starting this upcoming week."
Tesla did not immediately return a request for comment. What the agreement entails is also unclear and the Alameda County Health Department also did not immediately return Roadshow's request for comment. It likely follows much of the Tesla's previously published "Return to Work Playbook," though the county previously issued a statement saying it asked for some specific changes from Tesla.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk openly defied the county's local stay-at-home order last Monday and started operating beyond minimum capacity, as the county previously allowed the company. Workers returned and photos shows the parking lot buzzing with activity. Musk also sued the county in response to its actions, said the company's headquarters would relocate and threatened to moving car production out of California.
Local news station KRON also reported Tesla workers had been protesting outside the plant in Fremont in fear working conditions still weren't safe. With the furlough period over, employees will likely need to use unpaid time off if they don't feel comfortable, as previous Tesla documents alluded to.
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