SpaceX is accused of illegally firing eight employees who wrote an open letter to executives in 2022 about their workplace concerns. The letter called SpaceX owner Elon Musk a “distraction and embarrassment” – writes BBC.
The complaint, filed by a regional official of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), accused SpaceX of violating workers’ rights under federal labor law, which allows workers to act collectively for better working conditions. According to the complaint, those involved in the open letter were questioned before being fired.
Lawyers for one former employee, Deborah Lawrence, have reportedly accused SpaceX of being a “toxic” company where harassment is tolerated. In the document confirmed by Reuters, Lawrence says: “We did not write the open letter to management out of malice, but because we cared about our mission and the people around us”.
If SpaceX does not settle with its accusers, the case will be heard by an administrative law judge, whose decision can be appealed to the panel and then to a federal appeals court. A hearing has been set for March 5. If the NLRB finds that the layoffs violated labor law, it can order workers reinstated and back pay.
Musk’s companies have been accused of violating workers’ rights before. In October, the NLRB alleged that X — formerly known as Twitter — unlawfully fired an employee for tweets criticizing the company’s policies. X denied the allegations. Electric car maker Tesla also faced several NLRB complaints, including allegations of racial discrimination at its factories. The company said it does not tolerate discrimination. In August, the US Department of Justice sued SpaceX, alleging that its hiring practices discriminated against refugees and asylum seekers.
(444.hu)
