Tesla could be axing HUNDREDS of contractors from California & Nevada factories – media

Elon Musk’s company is cutting contractors at its car and battery plants in the US amid the coronavirus crisis. The decision may affect hundreds of people, CNBC reports, citing workers and a staffing agency memo.

Contractors of Tesla’s manufacturing facility in Fremont, California, and the Gigafactory in Nevada, reportedly learned about the decision at the end of the week. Some of them have been working there for years, and wanted to get a full-time job at the company before they received the note from their temp agencies.

One such firm, Balance Staffing, said that the electric car maker asked it to “end all contract assignments effective immediately,” citing the extended shutdown at the Tesla factory due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The big plant in Nevada where the batteries to power Tesla vehicles are made has been severely affected by the spread of the virus. It was reported in March that the company wants to let up to 75 percent of its staff there go. Additionally, Tesla partner Panasonic announced plans to halt operations at the Gigafactory over health concerns, and it was later revealed that one of the workers of the battery plant tested positive for Covid-19.

The company and CEO Elon Musk earlier came under fire for downplaying the severity of the coronavirus outbreak. The plant in California managed to stay operational longer than other local businesses despite the stay-at-home order, before it was forced to close its doors.

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