A US court imposed a fine of $835 million dollars on Alphons Iacobelli, Vice President, Employee Relations at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Alphons Iacobelli was found guilty of bribing union officials on behalf of his employer to obtain concessions and advantages and lowering benefits in collective bargaining agreements, along with charges of tax evasion.
Automobile companies across the globe have been infamous for their efforts to stifle worker’s Right to Freedom of Association. In June, 2018 a worker from Elon Musk’s electric car company Tesla had testified that Musk threatened workers at the shop-floor and fired at least 3 worker who had complained of poor working conditions and tried forming a union at the Tesla-3 plant.
In India, when workers of the largest car manufacturer company Maruti-Suzuki tried to register a union of their choice at the Manesar plant, they were framed on false charges of murder and setting the factory to fire in 2012. Court acquitted more than 300 workers in the case as police failed to produce any evidence to substantiate its claims.
