Tesla fired several factory workers in New York a day after employees launched a union organizing drive, according to Tesla Workers United.
Tesla Workers United filed a complaint against Tesla with the National Labor Relations Board, or NLRB, accusing the electric vehicle maker of unfair labor practices.
The TWU says it believes Tesla terminated these individuals in retaliation for union activity and to discourage further union activity. It is asking the NLRB for injunctive relief to prevent irreparable destruction of employee rights resulting from Tesla’s unlawful conduct.
The firings occurred shortly after the Tesla Workers United organizing committee send a letter to management state that employees are seeking a voice on the job and want to build an even more collaborative environment that will strengthen the company.
In addition, Buffalo plant workers received an email Wednesday outlining a new policy prohibiting recording workplace meetings without all participants’ permission. The Tesla organizing group challenged the policy as violating federal labor law and violating New York’s one-party consent law to record conversations.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has taken a hard line against organized labor. In 2021, the NLRB ordered Musk to delete a 2018 tweet where he unlawfully threatened employees with loss of stock options if they chose to be represented by the UAW.
In previous anti-union action, Tesla prohibited California workers from wearing union shirts. The NLRB ruled the order as illegal.
Report by Ellen La Luzerne. Photo by Milan Csizmadia on Unsplash. Web production by Anyu Li.
