Eight former SpaceX workers mentioned they have been illegally fired for penning a letter criticizing Elon Musk have filed an unfair labor follow criticism in opposition to the corporate, in accordance with The New York Times. If you may recall, The Times reported again in June that SpaceX fired workers concerned in writing an open letter condemning Elon Musk’s “harmful Twitter behavior.” In specific, they have been referencing how the CEO made crude jokes on Twitter a few sexual misconduct accusation in opposition to him by a flight attendant for the corporate’s company jet. SpaceX paid $250,000 to settle with the flight attendant, who claimed that Musk supplied to purchase her a horse in alternate for intercourse acts. 

Apparently, 9 employees misplaced their jobs over the letter, and the costs have been filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for eight of them. “Elon’s behavior in the public sphere is a frequent source of distraction and embarrassment for us,” a part of the letter learn. The individuals who penned the letter additionally included proposals on the way to make the corporate higher and the way to strengthen its sexual harassment insurance policies, together with the suggestion that SpaceX ought to disclose every other harassment claims in opposition to Musk.

SpaceX executives have been reportedly sympathetic to start with and appeared like they have been receptive to the concepts the employees included within the proposals. However, they shortly modified their tune. SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell informed workers in a letter again then that some workers concerned in writing the letter had certainly been terminated. “The letter, solicitations and general process made employees feel uncomfortable, intimidated and bullied, and/or angry because the letter pressured them to sign onto something that did not reflect their views,” she added. 

The authorized consultants The Times consulted mentioned the employees are most certainly protected underneath the National Labor Relations Act, which supplies them the fitting to self-organize and band collectively for collective bargaining or different “mutual aid or protection.” Wilma Liebman, the previous NLRB chairperson underneath Barack Obama, informed the publication that SpaceX might argue that the employees penned the letter solely to criticize Musk, which is not protected by the regulation. However, she mentioned that the board would in all probability disagree and would see Musk’s tweets as an act that creates a hostile work setting.