UAW sues Trump, Musk over alleged worker intimidation
Date
8/14/2024 5:37:21 AM
(MENAFN) The United Auto Workers (UAW) union has filed a lawsuit with the National labor Relations Board, accusing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk of attempting to intimidate and threaten workers. This legal action follows a two-hour conversation between Trump and Musk on the social media platform X, where Trump praised Musk for his cost-cutting measures and suggested that he would not tolerate workers going on strike. Trump's comments included a reference to Musk's approach of dealing with strike actions by suggesting that employees could be easily dismissed if they attempted to strike.
Despite Musk's laughter during the exchange, he did not address Trump's statements directly, which complicates efforts to hold him accountable for alleged illegal threats against workers. Wilma Lippman, chair of the National Labor Relations Board under former President Barack Obama, noted the challenge in proving liability for such threats. Federal law protects workers from being fired for striking, and threats to do so are considered illegal under the National Labor Relations Act. The UAW’s lawsuit seeks to highlight and address these concerns.
The National Labor Relations Board’s response to Trump’s comments remains uncertain, but the UAW is using this opportunity to bolster its support for Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris. The union is actively encouraging its 400,000 members to vote for Harris, particularly in crucial battleground states like Michigan. This endorsement follows Harris’s recent meeting with union officials and workers near Detroit. Union President Sean Finn has had previous contentious exchanges with Trump, further fueling the current legal and political clash.
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