(Rightallegiance.com) – The United Auto Workers (UAW) Union announced on Tuesday that it has filed complaints with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against former President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, alleging attempts to threaten and intimidate workers.
This action follows comments made by Trump during a two-hour conversation with Musk that was broadcast on social media platform X, where Trump appeared to commend Musk for his tough stance on strikes and worker demands.
During the conversation, Trump praised Musk for his cost-cutting measures and implied that Musk’s approach to dealing with striking workers should be emulated. “I look at what you do,” Trump told Musk. “They go on strike… You say, ‘That’s okay, you’re all gone.'” Although Musk chuckled, he did not respond directly, which experts suggest may make it difficult for the NLRB to hold Musk accountable for any illegal threats.
The UAW, which has endorsed Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election, quickly seized upon Trump’s comments as evidence of anti-union sentiment. The union is rallying its nearly 400,000 members, particularly in key battleground states like Michigan, to support Harris over Trump. The UAW’s decision to file the complaints comes as they continue to voice strong opposition to both Trump and Musk’s views on labor issues.
After the UAW’s complaints, Musk took to social media to criticize UAW President Shawn Fain, drawing parallels to previous union leaders who were imprisoned for corruption. “Based on recent news, it looks like this guy will join them!” Musk tweeted, alluding to an ongoing investigation into Fain by a court-appointed monitor of the UAW.
The NLRB has the authority to address illegal labor practices, but its power is often seen as limited. The board can order employers to cease such activities and require them to post notices informing workers of their rights, but the process can take years. Despite these limitations, the UAW’s complaints may be more about sending a political and organizing message than achieving immediate legal remedies.
In response to the complaints, Trump’s campaign dismissed the lawsuit as a political maneuver designed to undermine his support among American workers. Trump campaign senior adviser Brian Hughes called the lawsuit a “shameless political stunt.”
The NLRB complaints specifically accuse both Trump and Musk of making statements suggesting they “would fire employees engaged in protected concerted activity, including striking,” though details were not provided in the filings. While the NLRB has jurisdiction over Trump’s campaign as an employer, it does not have direct jurisdiction over Trump himself.
Musk has had numerous conflicts with the NLRB in the past, including recent lawsuits from his rocket company SpaceX challenging the agency’s authority. In March, a U.S. appeals court upheld an NLRB decision that found Musk had illegally threatened Tesla employees in a 2018 tweet.