US Labor Agency Accuses SpaceX Of Wrongfully Terminating Employees Critical Of Elon Musk
SpaceX, the renowned rocket and satellite manufacturer, is under scrutiny by a US labor agency for allegedly terminating eight employees who circulated a critical letter addressing the company's founder and CEO, Elon Musk.
The complaint, issued by a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) official, accuses SpaceX of violating federal labor laws by infringing on workers' rights to voice concerns about working conditions.
The letter, sent to SpaceX executives in June 2022, raised objections to Musk's tweets since 2020, some of which were deemed sexually suggestive. The employees argued that Musk's statements did not align with the company's policies on diversity and workplace misconduct and called for SpaceX to condemn them. The NLRB complaint also includes allegations of SpaceX interrogating employees regarding the letter, disparaging those involved, and threatening to terminate others engaged in similar activities.
According to Deborah Lawrence, one of the terminated employees, SpaceX fosters a "toxic culture" where harassment, particularly against women, is allegedly tolerated. Lawrence emphasized that the open letter was penned out of concern for the company's mission and its workforce.
The NLRB, acting as a prosecutor in this case, will bring it before the five-member board appointed by the president. Unless a settlement is reached, an administrative judge will preside over the case, with a scheduled hearing on March 5. If the NLRB finds SpaceX guilty of violating labor laws, potential consequences include reinstating terminated workers and providing back pay. Additionally, SpaceX might face more severe penalties in future cases before the board.
This incident adds to a series of complaints against companies associated with Elon Musk. In November, Reuters reported over 600 previously unreported workplace injuries at SpaceX facilities, including a fatality.
Musk's social media service, formerly known as Twitter and now called X, also faced an NLRB complaint in October for allegedly firing an employee over tweets challenging the company's return-to-office policy. Electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc., where Musk serves as CEO, has encountered NLRB complaints amid a union organizing campaign and lawsuits alleging widespread race discrimination at its factories. Tesla maintains that it does not tolerate discrimination.
(Inputs from Reuters)
