SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has been accused by the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) of unlawfully firing eight employees who criticised the company's chief executive in an open letter.
The letter, sent to SpaceX executives in 2022, detailed workplace concerns and described Musk as a “distraction and embarrassment”, Reuters reported.
The NLRB complaint alleges that SpaceX violated federal labour law, which allows employees to advocate for better working conditions collectively. The employees involved in the open letter were reportedly interrogated before being dismissed.
One of the former employees, Deborah Lawrence, through her lawyers, accused SpaceX of having a “toxic culture” and tolerating harassment.
Lawrence stated that the open letter was written out of concern for the company’s mission and colleagues, not out of malice.
The case will be heard by an administrative judge on 5 March, unless a settlement is reached out of court.
If SpaceX is found to have violated labour law, the NLRB has the power to order the company to reinstate workers and return their pay.
This is not the first time Musk’s companies have been accused of violating employees’ rights.
In October, X, the company formerly known as Twitter that Musk bought in 2022, was accused by the NLRB of illegally firing an employee who challenged the company’s return-to-office policy on the social media platform.
Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA), where Musk is CEO, has also received several NLRB complaints, including race discrimination allegations at its factories. Both companies have denied any wrongdoing.
The US Department of Justice sued SpaceX in August over allegations that it discriminated against hiring refugees and asylum seekers.
Musk responded in a post on X saying that US law requires a green card to be hired by the company, as rockets are considered advanced weapons technology.