SpaceX faces hearing on engineers fired after criticizing Elon Musk over sexism

Source: Reuters

March 5, 2024 6:17 AM EST


March 5 (Reuters) - Rocket maker SpaceX on Tuesday will appear before a U.S. labor board judge to face claims that it fired eight engineers for criticizing CEO Elon Musk and accusing him of sexist conduct in a letter to company executives.

The case before National Labor Relations Board Administrative Law Judge Sharon Steckler in Los Angeles prompted SpaceX to file a lawsuit in January seeking to block it from going forward by claiming the board's in-house enforcement proceedings violate the U.S. Constitution.

The NLRB's general counsel, which acts as a prosecutor, claims SpaceX violated U.S. labor law by firing the engineers in 2022 after they circulated a letter accusing Musk of sexist conduct and claiming the company tolerated discrimination against women. SpaceX is accused of violating the Natonal Labor Relations Act, which protects workers' rights to bandi together and advocate for better working conditions.

The engineers have separately filed complaints with a California civil rights agency accusing SpaceX of tolerating sex discrimination and retaliating against workers who complained.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/spacex-faces-hearing-engineers-fired-after-criticizing-elon-musk-over-sexism-2024-03-05/