SpaceX is facing accusations of wrongfully terminating eight employees who criticized CEO Elon Musk. According to a complaint filed by a US labor agency, the workers sent an open letter to the company’s executives in 2022, expressing concerns about the workplace. The letter reportedly referred to Musk as a “distraction and embarrassment.” The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) accused SpaceX of violating the workers’ rights under federal labor law, which allows employees to advocate for better working conditions together. The complaint also stated that those involved in the open letter were interrogated before being fired. Lawyers for one of the former employees have accused SpaceX of fostering a “toxic culture” that tolerates harassment. If the NLRB finds that the firings violated labor law, it can order the reinstatement of the workers and award back pay. This is not the first time Musk’s companies have faced accusations of violating employees’ rights. In October, the NLRB accused X (formerly known as Twitter) of unlawfully firing an employee over tweets challenging the company’s return-to-office policy. Tesla, another company led by Musk, has also faced NLRB complaints, including allegations of race discrimination at its factories.
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