SpaceX filed a complaint against the NLRB on Thursday to prevent it from hearing former employees who claim they were fired for criticizing their boss, Elon Musk.
• Also read: SpaceX launches US military space drone for research mission
• Also read: The social network X sued for non-payment of bonuses to its employees
• Also read: Disinformation: EU launches “official investigation” into X
The aerospace company claims that the federal agency's operations are unconstitutional and that the hearing process violates the group's right to a jury trial, according to a copy of the complaint filed in federal court in Texas.
The complaint does not refute the idea that the former employees were fired because they asked their colleagues to sign a letter criticizing Elon Musk's behavior on social media.
“The open letter requested that SpaceX take certain steps to address the perceived deficiencies” and referred to an investigation, the court document said. A small group of SpaceX employees used the company's internal communications platform to send the open letter to thousands of colleagues in June 2022.
In that letter, SpaceX employees called on company management to examine what they said were derogatory and inappropriate comments made by the tempestuous manager on Twitter, which was renamed X last summer, according to American media.
Employees who were subsequently fired filed complaints with the NLRB, accusing SpaceX of violating labor laws. The agency is scheduled to hear eight of them on March 5th.
SpaceX has asked a federal court in Texas to stop the hearing and rule that the NLRB's structure violates the Constitution.