More than 400 SpaceX employees signed an open letter condemning CEO Elon Musk. The letter was uploaded and circulated in an internal conversation by some of their colleagues. At roughly the same time, a number of employees were dismissed for their role in the letter’s creation and distribution. The document’s internal landing page was pulled offline.
According to a New York Times report, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell explained the firings to colleagues in an email. “The letter, solicitations and general process made employees feel uncomfortable, intimidated and bullied, and/or angry because the letter pressured them to sign onto something that did not reflect their views,” Shotwell wrote. “We have too much critical work to accomplish and no need for this kind of overreaching activism.”
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SpaceX Employees Fired For Writing Letter Criticizing Elon Musk
Employees who distributed a letter calling on SpaceX leadership to denounce Elon Musk’s public behavior were apparently dismissed by the company, according to reports.
At 12 p.m. Eastern, the open letter was posted on an internal landing page and subsequently disseminated via Microsoft Teams chat rooms and an email list by a small group of employees. In a statement, employees said that Musk’s recent actions had become a distraction and a disgrace to the organization. The letter writers suggested ways that SpaceX might separate themselves from Musk’s Twitter presence as well as do better to hold executives and individuals who commit sexual harassment to account.
According to an anonymous employee who helped create the letter, “a significant number of individuals across a lot of ethnicities and positions and levels helped draft the letter.” Scannable QR codes and surveys were provided to employees as options for signing onto the paper.
Musk’s Behavior Has Been Called A “Source Of Embarrassment”
“Elon’s behavior in the public domain is a frequent cause of distraction and humiliation for us, particularly in recent weeks,” said the staff letter that prompted the firings. For this reason, the letter stated, “SpaceX must establish safe avenues for reporting and uphold clear repercussions for all unacceptable behavior, whether from the CEO or an employee starting their first day.”
“Employees across the spectrum of gender, ethnicity, seniority, and technical responsibilities” collaborated on the letter, according to its authors. In order to discuss the concerns of the staff, the letter sought an in-person meeting between executives.
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