In a recent development, SpaceX, the aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company founded by Elon Musk, is facing a complaint from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The complaint alleges that SpaceX illegally terminated employees who wrote an open letter criticizing CEO Elon Musk.

Last year, a group of SpaceX employees drafted an open letter expressing their concerns about the distracting and embarrassing behavior of CEO Elon Musk. This came at a time when Musk was involved in an attempt to acquire Twitter, which he later renamed X after gaining control of the company. Following the publication of the letter, SpaceX fired the employees who had participated in writing it.

According to the complaint filed by the NLRB on Wednesday, SpaceX is accused of infringing upon federal workers' rights to collectively advocate for better working conditions. The labor agency claims that SpaceX interrogated employees regarding their involvement with the open letter and advised them not to discuss these interviews. Additionally, it is alleged that SpaceX created a perception of surveillance by examining and displaying screenshots of employees' messages, while also trying to prevent the distribution of the open letter. The NLRB further asserts that SpaceX may have coerced employees by inviting them to quit and issuing threats of discharge if they engaged in organized activities.

As a remedy, the NLRB is seeking several actions from SpaceX. These include a demand for the company to post a notice about employee rights for a period of 120 days and to issue written apologies to each of the fired employees. A hearing with an NLRB administrative law judge (ALJ) has been scheduled for March 5th, 2024, unless SpaceX opts to settle the charges. The judge's decision can be appealed to the board and possibly taken to the federal appeals court.

SpaceX has not yet publicly responded to the complaint from the NLRB. It remains to be seen how the company will address the allegations and whether they will lead to any changes in SpaceX's labor practices. As this case progresses, stakeholders will be closely watching the outcomes and the potential implications they may have for the relationship between SpaceX and its employees.

(Note: This article has been generated based solely on the information provided and does not include any additional information or commentary beyond that.)