UAW Files Charges Against Donald Trump and Elon Musk for Threatening Workers
The United Auto Workers (UAW) Union has taken action against both Donald Trump and Elon Musk, filing charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for attempts to threaten and intimidate workers. The move came after the two engaged in a two-hour conversation on social media platform X, during which they discussed the possibility of workers going on strike.
During their conversation, Trump praised Musk for his approach, stating, “You’re the greatest cutter. I mean, I look at what you do. You walk in, you just say: ‘You want to quit?’ They go on strike — I won’t mention the name of the company — but they go on strike. And you say: ‘That’s OK, you’re all gone.'”
The UAW has denounced these comments, highlighting that federal law protects workers’ rights to go on strike, and threatening to fire them for doing so is illegal under the National Labor Relations Act. The union, which has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in her bid for the presidency, released a statement condemning both Trump and Musk for wanting working-class people to “sit down and shut up.” UAW President Shawn Fain described their behavior as “disgusting, illegal, and totally predictable.”
The NLRB possesses limited power to address unlawful labor practices. In cases involving illegal threats, the board can issue orders for employers to cease and desist from such conduct and to inform workers of their rights through workplace notices. Unions can also use favorable rulings from the NLRB to engage workers they are trying to organize.
Fain has filed separate complaints against Musk and Trump with the NLRB, accusing them of making statements that implied they would fire employees engaged in protected concerted activity, including striking. However, the complaints did not provide further details.
At present, there has been no response from the Trump or Harris campaigns, and Musk has not commented on the matter. It is worth noting that Musk has previously faced allegations from the labor board, with his company SpaceX challenging the agency’s structure in ongoing lawsuits. These cases were initiated following NLRB complaints that accused SpaceX of terminating engineers critical of Musk and compelling employees to sign unlawful severance agreements.
Furthermore, Musk has been involved in a legal dispute with the NLRB over a tweet he posted in 2018, where he suggested that Tesla employees could vote for a union but questioned the need to pay union dues. The court upheld the NLRB’s decision that Musk’s tweet constituted an illegal threat to Tesla employees.
While Tesla has been dealing with these labor-related issues, the UAW led a six-week strike against Detroit’s Big Three automakers last year. They secured record contracts, which included a significant wage increase and cost-of-living adjustments. These wins have increased labor expenses for the Detroit automakers, presenting a challenge as they strive to reduce costs and stay competitive with Tesla.
In conclusion, the UAW’s charges against Trump and Musk highlight the importance of protecting workers’ rights and ensuring fair labor practices. The NLRB will now investigate these allegations, determining if any illegal conduct took place. It remains to be seen how these developments will shape the relationship between the UAW, Tesla, and the politicians involved.
