In June 2022, SpaceX sacked several workers who had shared an open letter that blasted the behaviour of its boss and CEO Elon Musk. This Wednesday, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) filed a complaint and notice of hearing charging SpaceX with unfair labour practices and wrongful dismissal.

The former SpaceX workers first made their complaint against the firm on 16 November, 2022, three months after the revenge layoffs started. Now, after looking into the charges and finding enough proof to back them up, the NLRB has officially accused SpaceX of breaking the National Labor Relations Act by "messing with, holding back, and forcing workers in the use of the rights guaranteed."

The lawyers for the complainants pointed out the NLRB listed 37 separate breaches of the Act: "11 for nasty statements, two for nasty statements/veiled threats, seven for questioning, four for unlawful orders, three for spying, and 10 for payback for taking part in protected group activity."

"The complaint says that the employer unlawfully fired eight workers who wrote and shared an open letter about workplace worries," an NLRB spokesperson said.

"Also, the employer told other workers that the eight were sacked for joining in the open letter, questioned other workers about the open letter (and told workers not to talk about the interviews), spied on them (including reading and showing screenshots of chats between workers), put down joining in the open letter, and stopped workers from sharing the open letter.

The employer told workers to quit and threatened to sack them if they took part in protected group activities."

The NLRB has asked for an order telling SpaceX to make sure all workers know about the notice of hearing and what it says, put up a poster explaining workers' rights for one year, and let a NLRB agent teach all its managers and bosses about the National Labor Relations Act and unfair labour practices.

The Board has also asked that SpaceX write sorry letters to those it has sacked or punished, as well as take them back and pay them.

One of the staff who wrote the letter said they did not do it out of spite, but because they cared about the mission and the people around them.

Deborah Lawrence said: "We thought that SpaceX could be a better place and that you can have a healthy, safe workplace and still reach the stars."

Unless they settle, the matter will now be heard by a NLRB judge, with the hearing set to start on 5 March.
The incident came a month after it was reported that Musk paid £180,000 to settle a sex case, which he seemed to try to beat by posting that there was a "dirty tricks campaign" against him.