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Business magnate Elon Musk, a known union buster, is asking the United Auto Workers to organize his company—Tesla—to provoke the labor union.
On Thursday, Musk posted on Twitter that he continues to sustain Tesla’s labor force because it pays and treats its workers excellently. Due to this, Musk said, he’s not bothered about the union organizing at his company.
His tweet read: “I’d like hereby to invite UAW to hold a union vote at their convenience. Tesla will do nothing to stop them.”
Musk tweeted in reply to a set of tweets by Gene Simmons, KISS head, who criticized President Biden for not citing the electric car manufacturer—Tesla—in his State of the Union address earlier this week.
Biden acknowledged Ford and GM’s endeavor towards developing electric models. The two car manufacturers are unionized.
“The President doesn’t mention Tesla, perhaps because Tesla is non-union and moved to Texas, a ‘right to work’ state. Give Elon Musk/Tesla its due. They are game-changers and should be heralded,” said Simmons.
Musk stated that Tesla has not shut down its Fremont, California location and has an objective for expansion. He added that Tesla’s factory labor force’s compensation, which counts stock options, is the highest among any other in the industry.
A representative from the UAW refused to respond to Musk’s tweets, however, had told media outlets about a case in progress before the National Labor Relations Board concerning Tesla and Musk.
Musk’s statement to the United Auto Workers appears following years of trying at the Fremont headquarters. Improper labor practice charges have been thrown against Tesla since 2017 at the National Labor Relations Board—the federal agency handling labor laws and overseeing union organizing drives.
In 2018, Musk faced legal action for a tweet stating employees could no longer possess their stock options if they unionize. Workers, union activists, and a California labor jury considered this remark a menace. The jury’s verdict on Musk’s tweet: an illegal action against workers’ rights to organize.
The UAW and the NLRB have called out Tesla and Musk for formerly terminating employees participating in organizing activities and for other claims.
Opinions expressed by NY Weekly contributors are their own.
