— Bonnie ‘Channel Your Inner Introvert & Stay Home’ (@bonnienorman) March 20, 2020
Everyone seems to be mad at Tesla for staying open while several other businesses shut down to try to flatten the curve and prevent the coronavirus from spreading like a wildfire of the molecular variety. But did you know that Tesla isn’t the only automaker that’s been open for business?
Headlines would have you believe that Elon Musk is the villain who forces his employees to work despite the “shelter in place” orders initiated in several counties in California. However, in an email to employees from Elon Musk, he clearly stated that:
“I’d like to be super clear that if you feel the slightest bit ill or even uncomfortable, please do not feel obligated to come to work. I will personally be at work, but that’s just me. Totally OK if you want to stay home for any reason.”
Yet tweets and headlines would imply that Elon is refusing to allow his employees off if they are sick or feeling worried about going to work. Elon clearly said that it was okay if you want to stay home for any reason.
While the critics are in full force, they are pretending that Tesla is the only automaker that is open for business. They pretend Elon is the bad guy while overlooking the fact that Toyota, which almost no one is talking about, will only close down for two days. The two days that Toyota will be closed will be dedicated to cleaning its plants before making employees go back to work. Where is the outrage? Why is the focus only on Tesla, whose CEO told employees that they don’t have to come in if they don’t feel like it?
Toyota to shut down plants for 2 whole days..
Where’s the outrage, the (fake) concern for Toyota employees, the attacks on local politicians?
Further, at least some experts on this topic believe that Tesla is exceptionally well equipped to operate in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hey Brandon. I am a Tesla factory expert, actually. Shanghai running today with incredible anti-contamination set up. Tesla has, to my knowledge, and in this country, the best ability to run a factory safely in today’s crisis. This is the last factory a sheriff should close.
While critics are upset that Tesla is encouraging employees to use PTO (personal time off) for when they are sick, it should again be noted that Tesla isn’t the only company that does this. I used to work for Goodwill and when I was ill with bronchitis, I was also encouraged to use my PTO time to cover my sick days — this is so I wouldn’t lose any money off my paycheck. This is actually a pretty common thing in the corporate world. Much of the US economy is based on this system.
It would seem that Tesla gets blamed for doing everything that a normal corporation does: encouraging others to use PTO for sick days, trying to stay productive, trying to make or maintain a profit. Perhaps it is the critics who need to check their own morals before getting angry at Elon Musk for telling his employees to come in only if you feel comfortable doing so. Or, maybe being from Louisiana and being expected to go to work during a category 3 hurricane has made me biased — I had to take the bus during Hurricane Rita and had water up to my knees. It didn’t matter — my boss said that if the buses were running, you come to work. If he had offered me PTO and told me to come in only if I felt like it, I probably would have stayed home and not caught pneumonia.
Meanwhile GM continues to produce cars. Yet $TSLAQ is quiet. Is it because you need this short and distort to work?
— $TSLAQ is a crowdsourced short and distort (@ElectroCar) March 18, 2020
Still think Elon is the villain in this picture? I think that those who criticize Elon Musk do so out of pure hatred and envy. He has done more for our country than most of us could ever dream of doing. Aside from everything else, look at Flint, Michigan. Our government refused to give Flint, a city in the United States, clean water. Residents were bathing, drinking, and cooking with water with high amounts of lead in it. Elon Musk, a private citizen, stepped up when Mari Copeny, a young student who advocates for clean water for her and her peers, asked him for help.
Perhaps people should be grateful when Elon offers to help instead of critical. Instead of making fun of him because you think he is an “out of touch billionaire,” be glad that there is someone with access to those types of resources (billions of dollars and an influential reach) who is willing to give aid.
Sounds good, we will connect with your team to understand potential needs
If I needed a ventilator, I’d be happy to accept one from Elon Musk. I am sure those who might die because there is a shortage would love one from him, also. However, instead of bashing Elon from the comfort of your keyboard, be grateful that you don’t need a ventilator and realize that those who died due to lack of ventilators in Italy and other countries would have gladly accepted Elon’s help.
Elon is not some obliged husband to the US government’s healthcare oversight, your analogy also leaves him very unsupported in this marriage. It’s more like a relative stepped in on a bad marriage to help alleviate the lack preparedness & you sound like guffawing bitter Aunt. https://t.co/7dAHR4FNIC
PALO ALTO, Calif., March 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In the past few days, we have met with local, state and federal officials. We have followed and are continuing to follow all legal directions and safety guidelines with respect to the operations of our facilities, and have honored the Federal Government’s direction to continue operating. Despite taking all known health precautions, continued operations in certain locations has caused challenges for our employees, their families and our suppliers.
As such, we have decided to temporarily suspend production at our factory in Fremont, from end of day March 23, which will allow an orderly shutdown. Basic operations will continue in order to support our vehicle and energy service operations and charging infrastructure, as directed by the local, state and federal authorities. Our factory in New York will temporarily suspend production as well, except for those parts and supplies necessary for service, infrastructure and critical supply chains. Operations of our others facilities will continue, including Nevada and our service and Supercharging network.
In many locations, we are in the process of implementing “touchless deliveries” so customers can continue to take delivery of their vehicle in a seamless and safe way. Due to the unique over-the-air connectivity of our vehicles, customers are able to unlock their new cars at a delivery parking lot via the Tesla App, sign any remaining relevant paperwork that has been placed in their car, and return that paperwork to an on-site drop-off location prior to leaving. This method provides additional convenience and comfort.
Our cash position at the end of Q4 2019 was $6.3B before our recent $2.3B capital raise. We believe this level of liquidity is sufficient to successfully navigate an extended period of uncertainty. At the end of Q4 2019, we had available credit lines worth approximately $3B including working capital lines for all regions as well as financing for the expansion of our Shanghai factory.
All photos by CleanTechnica
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Johnna Crider Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge artist, gem and mineral collector, and Tesla shareholder who believes in Elon Musk and Tesla. Elon Musk advised her in 2018 to “Believe in Good.”
Tesla is one of many good things to believe in. You can find Johnna on Twitter
TORONTO – Roots Corp. may have built its brand on all things comfy and cosy, but its CEO says activewear is now “really becoming a core part” of the brand.
The category, which at Roots spans leggings, tracksuits, sports bras and bike shorts, has seen such sustained double-digit growth that Meghan Roach plans to make it a key part of the business’ future.
“It’s an area … you will see us continue to expand upon,” she told analysts on a Friday call.
The Toronto-based retailer’s push into activewear has taken shape over many years and included several turns as the official designer and supplier of Team Canada’s Olympic uniform.
But consumers have had plenty of choice when it comes to workout gear and other apparel suited to their sporting needs. On top of the slew of athletic brands like Nike and Adidas, shoppers have also gravitated toward Lululemon Athletica Inc., Alo and Vuori, ramping up competition in the activewear category.
Roach feels Roots’ toehold in the category stems from the fit, feel and following its merchandise has cultivated.
“Our product really resonates with (shoppers) because you can wear it through multiple different use cases and occasions,” she said.
“We’ve been seeing customers come back again and again for some of these core products in our activewear collection.”
Her remarks came the same day as Roots revealed it lost $5.2 million in its latest quarter compared with a loss of $5.3 million in the same quarter last year.
The company said the second-quarter loss amounted to 13 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Aug. 3, the same as a year earlier.
In presenting the results, Roach reminded analysts that the first half of the year is usually “seasonally small,” representing just 30 per cent of the company’s annual sales.
Sales for the second quarter totalled $47.7 million, down from $49.4 million in the same quarter last year.
The move lower came as direct-to-consumer sales amounted to $36.4 million, down from $37.1 million a year earlier, as comparable sales edged down 0.2 per cent.
The numbers reflect the fact that Roots continued to grapple with inventory challenges in the company’s Cooper fleece line that first cropped up in its previous quarter.
Roots recently began to use artificial intelligence to assist with daily inventory replenishments and said more tools helping with allocation will go live in the next quarter.
Beyond that time period, the company intends to keep exploring AI and renovate more of its stores.
It will also re-evaluate its design ranks.
Roots announced Friday that chief product officer Karuna Scheinfeld has stepped down.
Rather than fill the role, the company plans to hire senior level design talent with international experience in the outdoor and activewear sectors who will take on tasks previously done by the chief product officer.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, are set to resume today as a strike that has stopped most services drags into a second week.
No timeline has been set for the length of the negotiations, but Joe McCann, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they are willing to stay there as long as it takes, even if talks drag on all night.
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people unable to navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last Tuesday, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
Hundreds of drivers rallied outside TransLink’s head office earlier this week, calling for the transportation provider to intervene in the dispute with Transdev, which was contracted to oversee HandyDART service.
Transdev said earlier this week that it will provide a reply to the union’s latest proposal on Thursday.
A statement from the company said it “strongly believes” that their employees deserve fair wages, and that a fair contract “must balance the needs of their employees, clients and taxpayers.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MONTREAL – Travel company Transat AT Inc. reported a loss in its latest quarter compared with a profit a year earlier as its revenue edged lower.
The parent company of Air Transat says it lost $39.9 million or $1.03 per diluted share in its quarter ended July 31.
The result compared with a profit of $57.3 million or $1.49 per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue in what was the company’s third quarter totalled $736.2 million, down from $746.3 million in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Transat says it lost $1.10 per share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of $1.10 per share a year earlier.
Transat chief executive Annick Guérard says demand for leisure travel remains healthy, as evidenced by higher traffic, but consumers are increasingly price conscious given the current economic uncertainty.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
