In a bold legal move, SpaceX has entered a courtroom battle seeking to obstruct a hearing initiated by the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), responding to claims from disgruntled former employees who allege termination for criticizing CEO Elon Musk.
The aerospace company contends that the constitutional validity of the regulatory board is in question, asserting that the hearing process infringes upon the company’s right to a trial by jury. The complaint, filed in a federal court in Texas, neither confirmed nor denied that the dismissed workers had been terminated for rallying colleagues to sign a critical open letter concerning Musk’s social media conduct.
The complaint detailed that the “Open Letter” demanded specific actions to address perceived inadequacies and included a linked survey. This missive was circulated internally through SpaceX’s communication platform in June 2022 by a small group of employees, ultimately reaching thousands of colleagues.
The document reveals that the letter implored SpaceX leadership to address what the employees deemed as disparaging and inappropriate comments by Musk, originally made on the platform formerly known as Twitter, now renamed X.
Employees who faced termination subsequently filed complaints with the NLRB, accusing SpaceX of violating labor laws. The NLRB consolidated eight of these complaints, deeming them meritorious, and scheduled an administrative hearing for March 5.
SpaceX, dissatisfied with the trajectory of events, has petitioned a federal court in Texas to halt the impending hearing, contending that the NLRB’s structure stands in violation of the Constitution. The legal maneuver adds a new layer of complexity to the ongoing dispute between the company and its former workers, promising a legal showdown in the days to come.
