Elon Musk Takes Tesla’s War on Labor Unions to Germany

As Tesla Inc. builds its first European car factory, in a patch of forest outside Berlin, Elon Musk has been on a relentless charm offensive. He’s pledged to create thousands of jobs; he tweets in surprisingly good German; and, during the site’s topping-out ceremony in September, he donned a heavy-duty cord vest and wide-brimmed black felt hat like those traditionally worn by local craftspeople.

The message has been warmly received, with politicians fast-tracking approvals for the factory and locals clamoring for jobs in a region that struggles to attract investment. On Nov. 30, the Tesla chief executive officer swooped into the German capital for the third time in as many months to accept an award for his entrepreneurial achievements from the publisher of the influential Bild tabloid.