I never know a CEO that love the unions

Ive worked in good unions, that stood up for me every chance they got, but I've also worked in two terrible corrupt unions that robbed me and my coworkers for their own benefit and really left a bad taste in my mouth. I think it totally depends, not all unions are good and not all of them are bad.

You don't like lords and peasants? That's what life was literally like BEFORE UNIONS!

I can't speak for the American perspective of unions, however, I couldn't imagine a day at work here in Denmark without the concept of unions. Without them it would feel like a wild west market with no reciprocity between employer and employee. You don't want government set rules but for society to shape them through the free market. It's a big safety net for families and creates better transparency in a working relationship.

Pay people enough and they may not need a union but that’s not what has happened historically. Working people have no leverage to negotiate as individuals against a multi million-billion dollar organization unless they have an organization.

I disagree with any CEO that fails to negotiate in good faith. Without a union, essentially a form of government a work force has no ability to redress labor issues. Therefore you are actually a Lord without question. It is time to bring you holdings into greater antitrust scrutiny.

Bro, Elon doesn't like unions "creating" a Lords and Peasants situation.. Elon's net worth is $200 Billion, he's the one who creates the situation, the union is just the one who explains to the peasants what's happening, and fights on their behalf

A union enabled me to save money,, get top quality healthcare for my whole family for life and retire comfortably

Tesla is fighting sweden on this issue, we have very strong unions that are integrated into society and how we run everything, and tesla is trying to be an exception to this

I was part expecting the comment section to be blue pills simping for their rich overlords. This comment section is refreshing.

UPS hourly employee and Teamster for 32 years here. Although unions aren’t a perfect solution for every workforce and even though there has been a fair share of corruption I can say that I have been very happy being a union employee. They have made it possible for me to make a good living and have protected my rights as a worker.

in an ideal world, unions wouldn't be necessary. but it is important in order to make sure people are not being taken advantage of.

CNBC, you antiquated relic of old media, just post the whole interview as a KZfaq video. These ridiculous bite-sized segments of the pieces your editors think are most newsworthy are so obnoxious.

A billionaire against unions. Never!

Almost all companies are against unions because it takes some of the power away from the employer and gives it to the lowly worker. It's all about keeping your job as insecure as possible. That way employees are less likely to complain about their working conditions. Keep people scared for their jobs and they'll keep their mouths shut.

I have spoken to many americans that are against unions. The problem is that most of the time they don't fully understand how a proper union is managed and what they actually do for the society and it's people. Where I come from they are in active conversations with the various businesses and everyone always try to come to an agreement before going on strike. But sometimes the workers, the unions and the businesses are so far apart from one another that a strike occurs. And then usually they meet each other halfway. So it's not that having unions are bad, the businesses are the same. When they do come to an agreement you notice very fast that there was actually room for negotiations and the workers got better paid.

“We made many people who were working the line, who didn’t even know what stocks were… we made them millionaires.”

Of course he does, why on earth would he ever want to take care of his employees? Retirement, Health Insurance. We certainly wouldn’t want one of the richest men in the world to give his employees a decent life.

I worked for a big social media company, before the union got involved they were stricter and gave out warnings suspension without salary no batrhom time issues with holiday request, once the union got involved the power balanced changed in favour of the employee, everybody looks out for their own interests and the unions give the workers more power thats straight facts

The # 1 way to overcome unions. Is the company provide better benefits with no union dues. #2 Employees are part owners the company, pay based of profits.

Love your comment about executives separate elevators. At State Farm Insurance executives have separate underground parking. Next to that is their own elevators to whisk them up to the penthouse, bypassing the slaves so they never have to interact with common employees. Talk about a distorted version of reality!!!

If businesses put half the energy into their employees as they do into making profits at all costs, there would be no unions.

My company hates its revenue generating employees and always seeks to limit any amount of sharing the company’s success with them at every turn. We actually had a chapter 11 and the ceo flew to Europe for an in person visit to a supplier that anyone else would have gained the info off a website. They earned our union because without it they’d ultimately fail due to not having any employees left.

The free market means that individuals who sell their labor are justified in forming alliances to leverage their negotiating power. The alliance is like a corporation that sells labor to other corporations that want to buy labor. The labor-selling corporation has to be mindful of its prices and terms, and how their "customers" are able to afford them now and how they compare to foreign competition.

In the 1950s and 60s when the middle class was strongest, almost half of the workforce was unionized. Since the 2000s it's been at 10%. I'm in a union and if we have a lazy coworker that we have to pick up slack on, we report them and they get written up and either straighten up or get fired. Abusive managers are forced to talk to us with a little respect. Unions are the best thing for the middle class and since union membership has eroded so has the middle class.

Elon “I disagree with the idea of unions” Europe “we disagree with the idea of Tesla”

We have weekends because unions pushed for more breaks in the latter half of the 19th century. Then in the 1930s the weekend was finally here. Mostly due to unions and then employers noticing an increase in production.

I have worked union jobs and nonunion jobs. I am currently a business owner with no employees except myself. From my experience, the main difference between a union job and a non-union job is that in a nonunion job if you have a problem you are at the mercy of human resources. And if Rebecca in human resources doesn’t take a personal liking to you, you’re pretty much SOL. On the other hand, with unions, there are specific procedures that need to be followed if you make a formal complaint against the company. Other than that, there’s not that much of a difference across the board.

Unions exist because companies treat their employees as 'peasants' and pay them that way. On the flip side people can be lazy and inefficient. If people were efficient in their work, constantly looking for ways to improve, and if companies paid them well and didn't have the task master of next quarters profit figure dragging at them, corporate America would be so improved and there would be no need for unions. That nirvana will never exist because of greed and the 'next quarter improvement' mindset of how the entire financial aspect was built.

Although Tesla workers have stock options, their compensation is far less than the UAW’s compensation package at GM, Ford and Stellantis. At Tesla, it’s $45 an hour in wages and benefits versus about $65 for UAW workers at the Detroit automakers - and that was before the UAW won a 25% raise over four and a half years after its six-week strike.

My dad was a union steward. He took his job very seriously, wanting to be fair to both sides. Therefore, both sides loathed him. He was stressed out by his bosses (at the bequest of their bosses) to get my dad to quit before his 30th anniversary. Instead, dad had a stroke while on the job. The company paid his hospital and treatments and he was awarded a pension until he died. Dad was blessed with a miraculous recover after a night of prayer. He went on to live over 30 years more.... more than he worked for that company. During all those decades of retirment, they had to pay his monthly pension. Our family by no means were made rich by this, but there is some satisfaction that the bit/chez had to pay more money than if they had just let him retire at 30years with its bonus pay.

Executives are not worth the tens of millions they are paid along with the benefits they receive that are not available to all employees. If a company doesn't want a union, flatten out the disparity in pay and benefits between employees and executives.

Unions have their faults but so do business leaders who care more about profits than worker safety and being able to make ends meet. I do agree with the lords and peasants comment, but that is created as much by executives as unions.

Unions create a lord and peasants? No sir, you already did that.

The purpose of the union is to try, often unsuccessfully, to equalise the power differential between capital and labour. Sounds pretty reasonable to me.

What he is talking about is a place where Unions don't need to exist. Yes, a union wouldn't be needed of the workers were happy and felt they were getting a fair piece of the pie.

Unions were created to protect the employee because companies lost site a LONG time ago of taking care of the people that run their companies. So employees formed Unions to protect themselves and their best interest. When a company cares about it's people it thrives, when a company only cares about it's share holders, not only does it show but the employees don't care about the company.

Of course. He pays in average at least 10% less than the unionized companies for example in Germany or in Sweden.

All the unions I have had experience with defend the worst employees, the teachers union is a good example.

He just wants the workers to obey without any questions

BREAKING NEWS: BUSINESS BILLIONAIRE DOESN’T LIKE UNIONS 😂😂😂

Teamster for 17 years, he has a point. If the shop is fair to begin with, talks of unionizing tend not to happen naturally. If they start to swell, theres usually a clear reason for it.

He can make all his own cars and things by himself then. See how that works for him.

And I disagree with the idea of billionaires.

As a person who retired from a skilled trade union, we are not like govt. employees. They can lay us off with no explanation needed. We go back to the hall and take another job. The unions with seniority are the real issue. No way to get rid of deadwood at all

It's the corporate executives who create the adversarial relationship that make unions necessaary. When the executives, who live in gated communities, and whose compensation is many multiple times more than the workers who produce the product, and whose compensation barely pays for their basic living expenses, there will be resentment and conflict.

This is the first time I've watched a full interview on CNBC

Musk and his type are the reason we need unions.

rooting for the swedish working folk. and their union.

It's called bargaining power by the labour force. Of course Elon Musk doesn't agree with the whole idea of unions, he doesn't need it. Unfortunately, you can't be both the adjudicator and the advocate. If employees want to organise themselves, do not infringe on their right to do so. Of course, with that given,the power of unions should also not go unfettered.

Workers standing up for their rights, what's not to love? ❤

They dont like unions because it uses the exact market forces that they use without unions, namely, negotiating with one party. Its to the CEOs advantage they are the one party, but when the workers become one party in the negotiation, they dont like it, cause it brings back the power to deny divide and conquer.

"I don't like lords and peasants" says billionaire, denying his employees workplace protection

"No lords and peasants, everyone should eat at the same table." If there has ever been a time in humanity to change this, it's now!

Surprise! A narcissist who believes he is never wrong and wants his workers to be powerless.

All you have to do is google how he treated Twitter employees after he bought it.

Greed is why you need a union until the union smells blood and then you need a co-op instead of a union.

I’m not a member of the union but I like the work of the union. They make it easier and safer that there is a good foundation, and make some very good work for the workforce, but I set my own price/criterias if an employer wants to hire/keep me. Employers are always allowed to go above union standard, union is just a bottom line. In no way does the union hinder the opportunity to treat the workforce well, that’s some bull. However, hearing/listening to the workforce can be a tough pill to swallow

So you're saying that the billionaire nepo baby is against unions? Shocking

What Mr. Musk really wanted to say: "I f**king hate unions!"

It's cute that he thinks tesla will be number one in EV's.

The day I started work in MI as an 18 year-old on the assembly line at Buick, a union shop, I could have bought a house, a car, and gone out looking for a wife. I was paid enough money to do that. Plus, I had full coverage medical insurance, insurance that would have covered any family I might end up with. But I worked there just long enough to get the money to go to tech school, get a 2 year associates degree in electronics then move to Colorado. In Colorado I went to work at Hewlett Packard, a non-union shop. I made minimum wage, and lived in a dive apartment and rode a used motorcycle to work, summer and winter. After 3 years I finally managed to buy a cheap used car so I didn't have to ride the bike in the snow and rain to get to work. I moved from non-union tech job to non-union tech job trying to get paid better over the next 2 decades. I never did make enough money to afford a house or a family. THAT'S the difference between a union job and a non-union job. Of course Musk disagrees with the idea of unions. He wants ALL of the money! Duh. That's why he's got a quarter trillion dollars while people who work the assembly line for him are sleeping in their cars. It's as simple as that, folks. The billionaires have all the leverage and will shaft you unless you organize to get your own leverage and make things fair. Never forget that. Musk thinks people are stupid sheep to be fleeced. Are you?

Nothing strikes fear into CEO’s more than union coming in. Being incredibly appreciative of workers means compensating $$$

best line of the day. many people who didn't even know what stocks were. we made them millionaires.

He's a literal child. Also - anyone who flies around in a private jet like Elon Musk emits more pollution than millions of working class people combined.

This video title is so melicious. Once you actually hear the context you understand he's not really against unions and workers having rights he is against companies that make people feel like they need a union.

Tessla has failed. Workers have no rights in Tesla.

If GM has private elevators for their senior executives then maybe it’s the mindset of administration that is creating a mentality of lords and peasants and the unions are simply a response to that type of work environment.

In Mitt Romney's book, when his father ran and had saved American Motors, he was surprised that he was not to be allowed to go onto the factory shop floor without guards because he would not be safe!

It's funny he doesn't mention BYD specifically. Just "the Chinese car companies".

Unions only work in trades that can’t be exported. In every other situation they drive jobs overseas.

I am sure he does disagree with the idea of unions. But it's not his choice.

Unions help maintain a middle class, it's not companies like Tesla that need them but there are so many that take advantage of employees and in counties without strong industrial laws those employees have little recourse

Wow, I stumbled on this and gave it a watch... It's surprising CNBC allowed this part of the interview to be presented. Refreshing, but CNBC has a very, VERY long way to go before it becomes trustworthy and worth following again. Of course Elon is correct.

Elon is so out of touch when trying to relate to his workers. This is the reason why we need unions

No lords and peasants. That's why he does example firings to keep everyone on their toes, and fires people for disagreeing with him or saying something negative about him. "Retaining them is really the hard part" -I believe you.

You can't put unions existing on a scale of good or bad. Sometimes they are wonderful things for everyone involved, and it's a well oiled machine that provides opportunity for those involved, other times there is essentially not enough market shares in the type of work that is being performed and so the idea of the people doing the work not feeling like peasants, simply doesn't exist, because the field of work produces less profits, and in turn a lot of times, unions in those situations are looked at as greedy leaches instead of useful facilitators of commerce.

"I don't like unions, lords and peasants. I'd prefer there just being lords - and nobody else talking" lol. Unions can ask for too much, same as Execs can be greedy. But fundamentally, it's absurd to be against humans grouping up to increase their leverage, if they're being mistreated. If Musk can keep the workers content and avoid a union, good for him. But he saying he's a Saint-Friend of all workers, begs the question, do others love him as much as he says all love him? Don't tell him to his face, it's said he fires ya on the spot - and with no Union protection, you're gone Lol

I think that Unions are a good thing and that they provide employees with protection and benefits, but I really dont like the type of people that seem to end up running them

Doesn't take a whole lot of time to find out how his company actually treats it's employees. as long as you never actually inform yourself about what this guy says, he sounds wonderful.

I disagree with the idea of Elon Musk.

3:10 the "lords and peasants" aren't managers&line workers, it's shareholders&employees The office Musk happens to hold as CEO is entirely separate from his 13% share that would provide him wealth and income if he quit until the day he dies.

Pretty simple. If you are having a hard time retaining people you should consider paying them more. That would do the trick

I enjoy my work at Tesla 👍🏽 wife loves the benefits

Unions become a form of direct democracy when they take control of how the work is done. In the transition to socialism management job becomes more of one that takes care of the administration of things rather than people. If Elon actually comes down to the plant floor and works with and does the jobs of the actual production workers that shows a sense of humility on his part. As long as we have capitalism the trade unions serve to place defensive limits on what management can do at work without the workers consent.

100% pro union. I have excellent healthcare, a yearly raise, early health insurance benefits for life, a lump sum at retirement and monthly pay out.

I have been part of 2 different unions. Neither of them gave a crap about the employees. Wages were lower than jobs in the same industry that weren't union. I had to pay $35 a paycheck. Most Unions are a total rip off and give no added value whatsoever.

Does any billionaire CEO like unions? Of course they don't want to pay people more. That means it is harder for them to be billionaires.

One issue folks miss is there is often Wall Street pressure to lower costs, including labor costs. Executives out of ideas also cost cut. The benefit of lower costs (at least in the short run) goes to shareholders which include executives. One counterweight to wage deterioration besides quitting quitting is unions. High turnover can negatively impact a company in spite of mgmt pretending otherwise.

Says the guy who literally fired over 1/2 the Twitter workforce after he bought it, and has numerous allegations of racial, workforce injury and sexual infractions within his Tesla Companies.

Having worked both union and nonunion, i would say both are good for a balance of power / fairness ? The non union jobs usually try to give perks to keep from becoming union. I suppose without unions there would be no incentive for such things.

I am pro-union and I actually agree with what he is saying. If you have leadership at a company that actually incorporates ALL its employees into the success and failures of the company, then a union is not necessary, such as stock options, flat organizations, bonus performance incentives, etc. Companies that are unwilling to make everyone involved part of its success unfortunately need unions.

That is kind of like saying "I disagree with the idea of Susie getting to reject my advances".

I like the idea of collective bargaining. Workers are just as powerful as the business but the power is difused so they often get ripped off. Workers need to bargain with the longer term interests of the business in mine because their incentives should be aligned with the success of the business. What i hate is entrenched unions who are effectively just another level of tax and bargain in their own interests. Here in Australia, unions did not support workers who were fired for not taking covid vacines. The support fringe issues and incompetent, dangerous behavior from employees.

Unionize is just making companies less competitives. I have been working in that environment, it s unconstructive, it s inefficient. In the long run, the companies either go bankrupt or being bailed out by governments

easy to brush off the old "lord and peasant" situation when you are the executive

No group of employees should be able to force an employer how to manage their business. If it should be a legal code the nation wants make it so by protesting lawfully and lobbying.

I disagree with the idea of billionaires

Who would've thought a CEO would be against unions. Shocking news!

I stopped by to visit with my mother in law and found my father in law sitting in his big easy chair. He was a union elevator mechanic and he was on a “ sit down “ strike. The reason: a foreman had lifted a traction elevator winch onto a high-rise building in one piece. That was it. They had to lower the winch back down onto the ground, disassemble it and lift it piece by piece back onto the roof to reassemble it. Until that happened, no one was working. I see no value in unions. I’m certainly not smart enough to see where unions benefit anyone except the people running them ( in the US)