SpaceX accused of unlawfully firing employees who were critical of Elon Musk

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. unlawfully / ʌnˈlɔ fə li / (adv.) – in a way that is against the law
    Example:

    The suspect was arrested for unlawfully entering the private property.


  2. surveillance / sərˈveɪ ləns / (n.) – the act or process of closely monitoring individuals, places, or activities to gather information and maintain security
    Example:

    The government has increased surveillance in public areas to prevent criminal acts and protect the citizens’ well-being.


  3. consolidate / kənˈsɒl ɪˌdeɪt / (v.) – to bring together or combine separate things into one
    Example:

    The new software consolidates all customer data into one central database.


  4. alleged / əˈlɛdʒd / (adj.) – said or thought to have done something wrong or illegal without any proof
    Example:

    The alleged criminal is currently under investigation by the police.


  5. hold (someone) accountable for (something) / hoʊld əˈkaʊn tə bəl fər / (idiom) – to make someone responsible for his/her action or decision and face its consequences
    Example:

    It is essential for leaders to hold themselves accountable for the decisions they make that affect others.


Article

Read the text below.

A U.S. labor agency has accused SpaceX of unlawfully firing employees who penned an open letter critical of CEO Elon Musk and creating an impression that worker activities were under surveillance by the rocket ship company.


A Los Angeles-based regional director for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) filed a complaint on January 3 that consolidates eight unfair labor practice charges against SpaceX. The cases stem from the company’s alleged actions following the circulation of the employees’ letter back in June 2022.


The letter, among other workplace concerns, called on executives to condemn Musk’s public behavior on X — the platform then known as Twitter — and hold everyone accountable for unacceptable conduct.


“As our CEO and most prominent spokesperson, Elon is seen as the face of SpaceX — every tweet that Elon sends is a de facto public statement by the company,” the open letter said at the time. The letter also referred to Musk’s actions as a “frequent source of distraction and embarrassment.”


A total of nine employees were soon terminated for their involvement in the letter, according to a November 2022 filing made on behalf of one of the employees to the NLRB, although only eight are included in January 3’s complaint.


In addition to the firings, the complaint accuses SpaceX of interrogating other workers about the letter, announcing that employees were terminated for their participation in the letter, and “inviting employees to quit if they disagreed with the behavior of Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk.”


The complaint also alleges that some were shown screenshots of communications between employees about the letter, which “created an impression among (SpaceX’s) employees that their protected concerted activities were under surveillance.”


Reacting to the board’s complaint, SpaceX sued the NLRB in federal court on January 4. The lawsuit says the NLRB is “unconstitutionally structured” and its action against the company “unlawful.”


Addressing the board’s complaint in its lawsuit, SpaceX lawyers say the employees’ letter caused “significant distraction to SpaceX employees across the country.” It said the employees involved in the letter were fired for violating a number of company policies.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The employees’ complaint alleges that work activities are under surveillance by SpaceX. Do you believe that companies should have the right to put their employees under surveillance? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • How do you think the perception of being under surveillance might affect employee trust and performance (ex. might increase productivity levels, might create feelings of privacy violation)? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • The SpaceX employees’ letter referred to Musk’s actions as a “frequent source of distraction and embarrassment.” Do you believe that a company/organization’s leader’s actions affect its workers/members? Why or why not? How do you think a leader can affect his/her subordinates? Discuss.
  • What behaviors or qualities do you believe are expected of leaders like CEO Elon Musk? Can you think of anyone who exemplifies these qualities? Discuss.