Salaries at Tesla: That’s what employees at the German location earn – “could be better”
Created: 05/27/2022, 14:18
By: Julian Baumann
Tesla boss Elon Musk is the richest person on earth.
Does that also affect the salaries of the German employees?
© Christophe Gateau/dpa
Since the opening of the "Giga Berlin", the US company Tesla has also been producing in Germany.
That's what the employees of the electric car manufacturer earn.
Stuttgart/Grünheide - The US company Tesla is the most profitable car manufacturer in the world and, with Elon Musk, also has the richest person on the planet at the helm.
However, the question is whether this is also reflected in the salaries of Tesla employees at the German production site in Grünheide near Berlin.
Even before the opening of the "Giga Berlin" at the end of March, there was much debate as to whether the pay for the employees was the same as that at Mercedes-Benz, BMW and the VW Group, or whether the US company was taking a different approach to the German car industry, reports BW24.
Since the opening of the Giga Berlin in Brandenburg, Tesla has also been producing in Germany.
The Model Y rolls off the assembly line in the plant for the entire European car market.
In the final state, the production capacity is to be designed for 500,000 electric cars per year.
Tesla is currently struggling with numerous problems in Berlin, including with staff.
Nevertheless, 3,500 people are already employed at the Grünheide plant, and in the end around 12,000 people will be employed in different positions.
Tesla Berlin: What do the German employees of the US automaker earn?
In an interview with the
Handelsblatt
in November 2020, the head of the Frankfurt (Oder) employment agency, Jochem Freyer, gave an insight into the remuneration at the Tesla site near Berlin, which was still under construction at the time.
"Tesla pays significantly better than is customary in the area and will be based on the wage agreement of the metal and electrical industry," he explained.
"They won't adopt it and use it, but I think it's a big step if we get closer to an industry collective agreement." In the meantime, production has started in the "Giga Berlin" and information from the usual salary portals can already be found Tesla employees in Germany.
A selection of positions at Tesla Germany and the associated annual salaries:
job title | Average annual salary (gross) |
|---|---|
Motorcar mechanic | 38,300 euros |
engineer | 71,600 euros |
recruiter | 55,100 euros |
Skilled production worker | 33,900 euros |
Automobile clerk | 41,400 euros |
team leader | 58,100 euros |
process engineer | 67,900 euros |
software developer | 63,700 euros |
logistician | 38,200 euros |
Sales force in retail | 42,400 euros |
(
Source: Kununu
)
The annual salaries given on the salary portal of Tesla employees in Germany roughly correspond to those of the Stuttgart car group Mercedes-Benz.
At Mercedes, an engineer with an average annual salary of 78,100 euros earns more than at Tesla.
In the
Handelsblatt
interview, Jochem Freyer also explained that Tesla does not shy away from hiring someone who has been unemployed for a long time or who has not completed vocational training.
These people would start with a starting salary of €2,700 per month.
With relevant vocational training, Tesla Germany starts with around 3,500 euros.
Tesla Germany: Employees basically satisfied with pay, but "could be better"
In addition to the remuneration, the employees of the major German car manufacturers also receive various bonuses.
The management level at Mercedes-Benz, for example, is given company cars, while the lower levels receive at least a percentage on the purchase of a Mercedes model.
At the Stuttgart sports car manufacturer Porsche, the bonuses and bonuses are now legendary.
After a very successful 2021 fiscal year, the Porsche employees received a special payment of 7,900 euros per head.
According to information provided by Tesla employees on
Kununu
, the US company does not have such special payments or bonuses.
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"All in all, I earned just over 40,000 euros a year," writes a former employee of Tesla Germany on the salary portal.
“No commissions, no vacation pay, no Christmas bonuses, no bonuses or anything like that.” Another Tesla employee agrees.
"Could be better," he writes in reference to compensation.
"Salaries are paid on time, but you don't get any vacation or Christmas bonuses." Although there have been comments on the portal recently that describe the salary as "far too little" and criticize the lack of bonuses,
Kununu
gives the Satisfaction of Tesla employees indicates that 62 percent rated the salary as good or even very good.
