Tesla and SpaceX have always been infamous for very low pay in tech (a LOT of tech people are physicists or engineers). I'd say "except for the really early engineers ..." but they're gone from the company.
Might be related to their stock compensation being high. Tesla stock has rocketed up since 2020, and some early factory workers turned into millionaires, not just engineers. SpaceX has also seen valuation grow a lot. As the article notes, it's very unlikely that Tesla stock doubles or triples anytime soon at current valuation.
Even if this is true, it's not accessible anymore. So perhaps the initial wave of 10 engineers eventually got to a good place, now getting there is impossible.
I looked at salaries for a new Tesla sales center (recent addition to my city), and it pays their Inventory Manager less than I pay guys to sweep the floor (as electrician apprentices).
Do they get Tesla stock or bonuses?
Total comp at companies like Tesla is weighted pretty heavily by stock usually.
As it says in the article, the employees were not given stock grants in 2023.