New book about the historic Tesla strike in Sweden

The book is released on the second anniversary of the strike, and documents the historic dispute launched by the Swedish industrial union IF Metall on October 27, 2023. What began as a local labor dispute quickly escalated into a global conflict, with fifteen unions across four countries joining in solidarity. Today, it stands as the longest labor strike in Sweden in a century and is still ongoing.

The book is written by German Bender, chief analyst at Arena think tank in Stockholm, and labor scholar affiliated with Stockholm School of Economics and Harvard University. 

Through sharp analysis and engaging storytelling, the author explores the high-stakes confrontation between tech billionaire Elon Musk and the Swedish Model. Why has neither side backed down? What does the strike imply for the future of labor rights, the green transition, and democracy itself? And how will the dispute be resolved?

German Bender’s writing and commentary on the Tesla strike has been widely featured in Swedish and international media since the start of the strike. This is his first book.

The Swedish edition is titled Frontalkrock: Teslastrejken och kampen om framtiden (English translation: Head-On Collision: The Tesla strike and the Fight for the Future)

For interviews, German Bender speaks English, Spanish and Swedish.

For review copies, interview requests, and international publishing rights inquiries, please contact:
Helena Eitrem, Communications Manager
helena.eitrem@arenagruppen.se
+46 73 654 13 13

For contact with the author:
German Bender
german.bender@arenagruppen.se
+46 702 023 111

High resolution bookcover, Swedish edition:
https://arenaide.se/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/frontalkrock-9789174451573-1.jpg

High resolution portrait of author German Bender:
https://arenaide.se/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/german-bender-fotograf-anneli-nygards.jpeg