外刊阅读: SpaceX illegally fired workers critical of Elon Musk

SpaceX illegally fired workers critical of Elon Musk, US labor agency says

By Daniel Wiessner Reuters

Published January 3, 2024 6:06pm EST

Rocket and satellite maker SpaceX on Wednesday was accused by a U.S. labor agency of unlawfully firing eight employees for circulating a letter calling founder and CEO Elon Musk a "distraction and embarrassment."

A regional official with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint claiming SpaceX violated the workers' rights under federal labor law to band together and advocate for better working conditions, according to Kayla Blado, a spokeswoman for the agency.

SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 13, 2019.

The letter sent to SpaceX executives in June 2022 focused on a series of tweets Musk had made since 2020, many of which were sexually suggestive. The employees claimed Musk's statements did not align with the company's policies on diversity and workplace misconduct, and called on SpaceX to condemn them.

Blado said the complaint also accuses SpaceX of interrogating employees about the letter, disparaging the workers who were involved, and threatening to fire workers who engaged in similar activity.

SpaceX and lawyers for the workers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, US, on Tuesday, April 19, 2022.

The NLRB's general counsel acts like a prosecutor and brings cases to the five-member board appointed by the president.

If SpaceX does not settle, the case will be heard by an administrative judge, whose decision can be appealed to the board and then to a federal appeals court. A hearing is scheduled for March 5, Blado said on Wednesday.

When the NLRB finds that firings violated labor law, it can order that workers be reinstated and given back pay. If SpaceX is found to have violated the law, it could also face steeper penalties in future cases before the board.

The case is the latest to accuse companies run by Musk of violating employees' rights under labor and employment laws.

This undated photo provided by SpaceX shows the company's Starship rocket at the launch site in Boca Chica, Texas.

Reuters in November documented at least 600 previously unreported workplace injuries at SpaceX facilities, including crushed limbs, electrocution, head injuries and one death. SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment on the findings.

In October, the NLRB issued a complaint accusing X, the Musk-owned social media service formerly known as Twitter, of illegally firing an employee over tweets challenging the company's return-to-office policy. X has denied wrongdoing.

And electric vehicle maker Tesla, Inc., where Musk is CEO, has faced several NLRB complaints amid a union organizing campaign and numerous lawsuits alleging widespread race discrimination at its factories. Tesla has said it does not tolerate discrimination.

SpaceX illegally fired workers critical of Elon Musk, US labor agency says

美国劳工局称，SpaceX非法开除批评马斯克的工人

Rocket and satellite maker SpaceX on Wednesday was accused by a U.S. labor agency of unlawfully firing eight employees for circulating a letter calling founder and CEO Elon Musk a "distraction and embarrassment."

火箭和卫星制造商SpaceX星期三被美国劳工部指控非法开除八名员工，理由是他们散布一封称创始人和CEO马斯克为“分心和尴尬”的信件。

A regional official with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint claiming SpaceX violated the workers' rights under federal labor law to band together and advocate for better working conditions, according to Kayla Blado, a spokeswoman for the agency.

美国国家劳动关系委员会（NLRB）的一名地区官员提出控诉，称SpaceX侵犯了工人根据联邦劳动法团结起来并倡导改善工作条件的权利，该机构发言人Kayla Blado表示。

The letter sent to SpaceX executives in June 2022 focused on a series of tweets Musk had made since 2020, many of which were sexually suggestive. The employees claimed Musk's statements did not align with the company's policies on diversity and workplace misconduct, and called on SpaceX to condemn them.

这封2022年六月发给SpaceX高管的信件重点放在了2020年以来马斯克发布的一系列推特上，其中很多是性别暗示的。员工们声称马斯克的声明和公司的关于多样化的政策不一致以及工作场所行为不当，并呼吁SpaceX谴责他们（他们？是指这些statements而不是谴责马斯克?）。

Blado said the complaint also accuses SpaceX of interrogating employees about the letter, disparaging the workers who were involved, and threatening to fire workers who engaged in similar activity.

Blado称该投诉还起诉了SpaceX就这封信件盘问员工，贬低参与其中的员工，并威胁要开除参与类似活动的员工。

SpaceX and lawyers for the workers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

SpaceX和员工的律师对此没有立刻做出回应。

The NLRB's general counsel acts like a prosecutor and brings cases to the five-member board appointed by the president.

NLRB总法律顾问就像检察官一样，把案件提交给总统任命的五人委员会。

If SpaceX does not settle, the case will be heard by an administrative judge, whose decision can be appealed to the board and then to a federal appeals court. A hearing is scheduled for March 5, Blado said on Wednesday.

如果SpaceX不和解，案件将由行政法官审理，行政法官的决定可以向委员会提出上诉，然后再向联邦上诉法院提出上诉。Blado周三表示，听证会定于3月5日举行。

When the NLRB finds that firings violated labor law, it can order that workers be reinstated and given back pay. If SpaceX is found to have violated the law, it could also face steeper penalties in future cases before the board.

如果NLRB发现开除违反了劳动法，其能够要求工人被复职并补发工资。如果发现SpaceX违反了法律，在将来递交给委员会的案件中，可能面临更严厉的处罚。

The case is the latest to accuse companies run by Musk of violating employees' rights under labor and employment laws.

这起案件是最新一起指控马斯克的公司侵犯员工劳动和就业法规定的权利的案件。

Reuters in November documented at least 600 previously unreported workplace injuries at SpaceX facilities, including crushed limbs, electrocution, head injuries and one death. SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment on the findings.

路透社11月记录了SpaceX至少600起此前未报告的工伤事件，包括四肢粉碎、触电、头部受伤和一人死亡。SpaceX没有对此作出回应。

In October, the NLRB issued a complaint accusing X, the Musk-owned social media service formerly known as Twitter, of illegally firing an employee over tweets challenging the company's return-to-office policy. X has denied wrongdoing.

在十月份，NLRB指控了X（马斯克的社交媒体服务平台，此前为推特）非法开除一名员工，因为其在推特上挑战了公司的返回办公室办公政策。X否认有不当行为。

And electric vehicle maker Tesla, Inc., where Musk is CEO, has faced several NLRB complaints amid a union organizing campaign and numerous lawsuits alleging widespread race discrimination at its factories. Tesla has said it does not tolerate discrimination.

还有马斯克担任CEO的电动汽车制造商特斯拉在一场工会组织运动和多起指控其工厂普遍存在种族歧视的诉讼中，面临着几起NLRB指控。特斯拉此前表示决不容忍歧视。