It’s not uncommon for employees in various companies worldwide to take some office supplies. Who’s going to miss a pencil or some printer paper now and then? However, Tesla’s factory in Germany is facing a bigger issue—the theft of about 65,000 coffee mugs.
During a staff meeting, Andre Thierig, the plant manager of Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg, addressed some of the facility’s 12,000 staff members. Amid concerns over workers’ safety and pay, Thierig expressed frustration over the tens of thousands of missing coffee mugs, according to a recording obtained by Handelsblatt.
“We’ve bought 65,000 coffee mugs since we started production here,” Thierig said, according to DW. “Statistically speaking, each of you already has five Ikea coffee cups at home.”
Thierig added that he was frustrated with the apparent thefts and promised to take away cutlery from the break room if they continued. Employees welcomed the break from more serious matters, responding with applause and laughter to his remarks, DW reports.
However, coffee cups are the least of Tesla’s issues at the facility. The company has faced protests by climate groups—such as the Volcano Group, which attacked an electricity transmission tower—over its expansion plans, which include clearing forest space. Local elected officials later approved Tesla to proceed with its plans, although they have been somewhat delayed.
As part of CEO Elon Musk’s cost-cutting measures in April, Tesla laid off about 400 workers at the German plant, according to Reuters. The automaker has laid off at least 14,000 people across its global workforce.
Additionally, the German plant has been accused of violating environmental laws, health regulations, and laws protecting workers’ safety since it began production two years ago. Stern reported last year that Tesla had reported three times more emergencies than Audi’s plant in Ingolstadt.
“While the whole world thinks we are only busy with mugs, we actually care about the most important asset of our Gigafactory—our people. We listened to their feedback and finally finished our newest employee facility,” Thierig wrote on LinkedIn Thursday, referring to media reports on the subject. Tesla celebrated the “pre-opening” of its new “Giga Gym,” Thierig said.