SpaceX has taken legal action, filing a complaint in a federal court in Texas, in an attempt to thwart a hearing by the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) concerning worker complaints alleging their termination for criticizing CEO Elon Musk.
SpaceX argued that the regulatory board’s structure is unconstitutional, and the hearing process infringes on the company’s right to a jury trial.
The complaint, while not refuting that fired workers criticized Musk’s social media behavior, acknowledged the existence of an “Open Letter.” This letter, distributed internally in June 2022 to thousands of colleagues through the company’s communication platform, called for specific actions from SpaceX to address perceived issues. The filing also mentioned that the letter linked to a survey.
The Open Letter urged leadership to address concerns about Musk’s comments on the platform, then called Twitter (now X). Employees terminated after disseminating the letter filed complaints with the NLRB, accusing SpaceX of violating labor laws. The NLRB consolidated eight complaints deemed meritorious, leading to an administrative hearing scheduled for March 5.
In response, SpaceX has sought intervention from a federal court in Texas, aiming to prevent the NLRB hearing and assert that the board’s structure is unconstitutional.
