Elon Musk praises Chinese workers for ‘burning the 3am oil’ – here’s what that really looks like

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses how Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has praised the extreme work hours of Chinese factory workers, in contrast to American workers. It examines the labor practices and working conditions at Tesla's Shanghai "Giga-factory" and the broader context of China's "996" work culture, where employees are expected to work from 9am to 9pm, six days a week.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Elon Musk's Praise of Chinese Factory Workers

1. What did Elon Musk say about Chinese factory workers compared to American workers?

• Musk praised Chinese factory workers for working extremely long hours, saying they "won't even leave the factory type of thing, whereas in America people are trying to avoid going to work at all."
• He contrasted this with American workers, who he said are trying to "avoid going to work at all."

2. What are the labor practices and working conditions at Tesla's Shanghai "Giga-factory"?

• Tesla restricted its Shanghai workers from leaving the factory under a "closed-loop" system, requiring them to work 12-hour shifts, six days in a row, and sleep on factory floors.
• There have been reports of labor rights and safety violations at the Shanghai factory since it opened in 2018, with some workers making as little as $1,500 a month in what has been called the "Giga-sweatshop."

3. How do Musk's comments relate to the broader "996" work culture in China?

• The "996" work culture in China, where employees are expected to work from 9am to 9pm, six days a week, has been the source of protests in recent years and has been characterized as a form of modern slavery.
• Musk's remarks should be understood in the context of American corporations taking advantage of the flexibility and low cost of labor in China, where excessive overtime is the norm despite being illegal.

[02] Comparison of Labor Norms in China and the US

1. How do labor laws and practices differ between China and the US?

• In China, the official labor law mandates a 40-hour work week with up to 36 hours of overtime per month, but this is not enforced in practice. Excessive overtime and long work hours are the norm, often facilitated by workers signing "striver's pledges" that waive their rights.
• In the US, employees covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act must receive overtime pay for working more than 40 hours a week, but there is no cap on the number of hours an employee can work.

2. How have Chinese and American labor norms clashed in recent years?

• The 2019 Netflix documentary "American Factory" described the conflicts that arose after a Chinese billionaire opened a factory in an abandoned General Motors plant in Ohio, with the Chinese boss complaining that "American workers are not efficient, and output is low."
• Recently, some US-based employees at Chinese-owned TikTok were expected to pull back-to-back all-nighters and spend as many as 85 hours a week in meetings to keep up with their Chinese colleagues.

3. What is the broader context and impact of Musk's comments?

• The article suggests that Musk's comments should be understood in the context of American corporations taking advantage of the flexibility and low cost of labor in China, which is enabled by the country's extreme work culture.
• The "not-at-all subtle threat" is that these Chinese workers are a threat to American workers, and that if American workers don't meet the same standard, their jobs are on the line.