The United Auto Workers (UAW) Union filed federal labor charges against former President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The union alleges that both individuals engaged in behavior to threaten and intimidate workers regarding their right to strike.
UAW President Shawn Fain criticized both Trump and Musk as he said, ‘They want working-class people to be quiet and they laugh about it. It’s disgusting, illegal, and just what you’d expect from these two’.
The charges follow a social media exchange on platform X, where Trump and Musk discussed workers striking from their jobs. During the two-hour conversation, Trump praised Musk for his handling of strike threats, saying, “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 okay, you’re all gone.'”
Notably, such threats are illegal under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which protects workers from being fired for striking. The union contends that Trump’s and Musk’s comments violate federal labor laws by attempting to undermine workers’ rights to strike.
The UAW, which has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in her presidential campaign, highlighted its recent engagement with Harris during her visit to Detroit.
The charges come because the UAW works to organize Tesla workers and backs Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 election. While Trump’s comments have faced criticism, Musk, who supports Trump, simply laughed at them without addressing them directly. The next step is for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to review the charges and decide if a probe is needed. The NLRB could impose penalties on Trump and Musk if violations are found.
Comments