Elon Musk's SpaceX turned the tables on the National Labor Relations Board. file a lawsuit On Thursday, it accused the agency of violating its structure.
The lawsuit is aimed at blocking the NLRB's complaint Wednesday that SpaceX illegally fired several employees in retaliation, Blaze News previously reported.
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In June 2022, eight former SpaceX employees circulated an open letter calling Musk a “distraction and embarrassment” to the company. Employees primarily took issue with Musk's allegedly sexist comments on social media.
The letter was shared with SpaceX's 2,600 colleagues to encourage more SpaceX employees to sign it, urging the company to distance itself from Musk.
“As our CEO and most prominent spokesperson, Elon is considered the face of SpaceX. Every tweet he sends is a de facto public statement by the company. Our team and potential “It is important that we make his thoughts clear to the talent pool. His message does not reflect our work, mission, or values,” the letter said.
“We publicly address and condemn Elon's harmful behavior on Twitter.” “SpaceX must quickly and clearly separate itself from Elon's personal brand.”
SpaceX fired several employees after the letter was released.
On Wednesday, the NLRB alleged that the company “tacitly encouraged employees who wished to engage in protected concerted activities to resign” and “tacitly threatened them with termination if they continued to discuss the issues contained in the open letter.”
The NLRB also accused SpaceX of “obstructing, restraining, or coercing employees from exercising their rights” under federal labor law.
As part of the agency's complaint, the agency is seeking to require SpaceX to require management to train on federal labor laws and to write letters of apology to fired employees. If the firings are found to be illegal, SpaceX could also face stiffer penalties, including having to rehire the employees or pay back wages.
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The company filed a lawsuit against the NLRB on Thursday, alleging that its structure “violates the separation of powers under Article II of the Constitution, and that the NLRB and its general counsel unconstitutionally exposed SpaceX in front of agency officials.” “We are forever prohibited from filing unfair labor practice charges against anyone.” Isolated from presidential oversight. ”
“The way the NLRB currently functions departs far from traditional understandings of separation of powers,” the report continues.
SpaceX argued that the NLRB hearing before an NLRB administrative law judge violated the company's “constitutional right to a jury trial.” The company also said the open letter was “a distraction for SpaceX employees across the country.”
SpaceX is seeking to block the NLRB's current proceedings, asking the court to rule the agency's structure unconstitutional.
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