SpaceX—SpaceX fired at least 8 employees for open letter criticizing Elon Musk, NLRB found illegal retaliation
In June 2022, SpaceX fired at least 8 employees who organized an open letter signed by over 400 staff criticizing CEO Elon Musk's public behavior as a 'distraction and embarrassment' and calling out a culture of 'sexism, harassment and discrimination.' In January 2024, the NLRB formally charged SpaceX with illegal retaliation, alleging the company also interrogated dozens of employees, created an impression of surveillance, and entered into unlawful severance agreements. SpaceX challenged the constitutionality of the NLRB itself in response.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tech Worker Organizing | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Whistleblower Protection | -against | secondary | -0.50 |
| Worker Rights | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.850 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (high ×1.5) × confidence (0.68)
Evidence (2 signals)
NLRB formally charged SpaceX with illegal retaliation for firing employees who criticized Musk
The NLRB filed a complaint in January 2024 alleging SpaceX illegally fired at least 8 employees who wrote an open letter criticizing Elon Musk, interrogated dozens more, created an impression of surveillance, and entered unlawful severance agreements. A March 2024 complaint added charges about unlawful severance agreements nationwide.
SpaceX fired at least 5 employees for circulating open letter critical of Elon Musk
In June 2022, SpaceX fired at least 5 employees involved in circulating an open letter signed by over 400 staff criticizing CEO Elon Musk's public behavior. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said the letter 'made employees feel uncomfortable, intimidated and bullied.'