Some felt “uncomfortable and intimidated and/or angry because the letter encouraged them to sign something that did not reflect their opinion,” or because the letter “interfered with their ability to concentrate on their work,” the executive added. However, she believes “we have too much important work to do and don’t need this kind of excessive activism”.
A personality too sulphurous
After conducting an investigation, the company has therefore “dismissed a certain number of employees involved”, states Gwynne Shotwell, without specifying how many. The open letter in preparation, revealed by the website The Verge, criticized Elon Musk’s behavior in public, as well as recent sexual harassment allegations against him, as “a frequent source of distraction and shame” for the company.
“As the most prominent boss and spokesperson, Elon Musk is considered the face of SpaceX. Every tweet he sends is considered a de facto public statement from the company, especially in recent weeks,” it read.