Musk defiant in opening plant
Tesla resumes auto production despite shutdown orders
FREMONT, Calif. — Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk confirmed Monday that the company has restarted its California factory, a move that defied local government orders involving measures to contain the coronavirus.
In a tweet, Musk practically dared authorities to arrest him, writing that he would be on the assembly line and if anyone is taken into custody, it should be him.
State law allows a fine of up to $1,000 a day or up to 90 days in jail for operating in violation of health orders.
The plant in Fremont, south of San Francisco, had been closed since March 23.
Early Monday, the parking lot was nearly full at the factory, which employs 10,000 workers, and semis were driving off loaded with vehicles that may have been produced before the shutdown.
The restart defied orders from the Alameda County Health Department, which has deemed the factory a nonessential business that can’t open under virus restrictions.
However, no agency appeared ready to enforce the order against Tesla. County Sheriff Sgt. Ray Kelly said any enforcement would come from Fremont police. Geneva Bosques,cq PS Fremont police spokeswoman, said officers would take action at the direction of the county health officer.
County Supervisor Scott Haggerty, who represents Fremont, said he’s been working on the issue for weeks trying to find a way for Tesla to reopen in a way that satisfies the health officer. He said officials were moving toward allowing Tesla to restart May 18, but he suspects Musk wanted to restart stamping operations to make body parts needed to resume assembling electric vehicles.
Tesla planned to maintain worker safety, including the wearing of gloves and masks and social distancing. But Haggerty said the company pushed back on checking employee temperatures before boarding a company bus to get to work. Tesla relented, he said, and agreed to check workers.
The restart came two days after Tesla sued the county health department seeking to overturn its order, and Musk threatened to move Tesla’s manufacturing operations and headquarters from the state.
Tesla contends in the lawsuit that Alameda County can’t be more restrictive than orders from California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The lawsuit says the governor’s coronavirus restrictions refer to federal guidelines classifying vehicle manufacturing as essential businesses that are allowed to continue operating.
“Frankly, this is the final straw,” Musk wrote in a now-deleted Saturday tweet. “Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately.”