NEW ORLEANS: A 2018 Twitter post by Tesla CEO Elon Musk unlawfully threatened Tesla employees with the loss of stock options if they decided to be represented by a union, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.
The ruling by a three-judge panel of the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a March 2021 order by the National Labor Relations Board, which ordered that the tweet be deleted. The case arose from United Auto Workers’ organizing efforts at a Tesla facility in Fremont, California.
Also upheld was the board’s order that Tesla reinstate and provide back pay to an employee who was fired for union-organizing activity.
Musk tweeted on May 20, 2018: “Nothing stopping Tesla team at our car plant from voting union. Could do so tmrw if they wanted. But why pay union dues and give up stock options for nothing? Our safety record is 2X better than when plant was UAW & everybody already gets health care.”
The ruling said that “because stock options are part of Tesla’s employees’ compensation, and nothing in the tweet suggested that Tesla would be forced to end stock options or that the UAW would be the cause of giving up stock options, substantial evidence supports the NLRB’s conclusion that the tweet is as an implied threat to end stock options as retaliation for unionization.”
The UAW, and Richard Ortiz, the worker whose reinstatement was ordered, praised the ruling. “I look forward to returning to work at Tesla and working with my co-workers to finish the job of forming a Union,” Ortiz said in a UAW email.
“This a great victory for workers who have the courage to stand up and organize in a system that is currently stacked heavily in favor of employers like Tesla who have no qualms about violating the law,” said UAW Region 6 Director Mike Miller.
Tesla had not responded to emailed requests for comment Friday afternoon.
2018 Musk tweet unlawfully threatened workers’ union organizing efforts, court rules
https://arab.news/vgrbv
2018 Musk tweet unlawfully threatened workers’ union organizing efforts, court rules
- Also upheld was the board’s order that Tesla reinstate and provide back pay to an employee who was fired for union-organizing activity
RT Arabic opens its first Riyadh studio, inaugurates with first live show
- Program will broadcast twice a month
- Will be part of a series of analytical shows focusing on developments broadcast by RT Arabic from various global capitals
RIYADH: Widely regarded in the region as a trusted and reliable news network, RT Arabic (Russia Today) officially opened RT Studio Riyadh on Tuesday, allowing the centennial of Russia-Saudi Arabia diplomatic relations to usher in a new age of media relations as well.
The program will broadcast twice a month and will be part of a series of analytical shows focusing on regional and global developments broadcast by RT Arabic from various capitals around the world, such as “Studio Cairo,” “Studio Beirut,” “Studio Washington,” and “Studio Paris.”
It will be hosted by veteran Saudi journalist Mohammed Al-Rashed, who has more than 20 years of experience.
In his opening remarks, Russian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Sergey Kozlov spoke of the century-long relationship between the two countries beginning in 1926 when the Soviet Union became the first state to formally recognize the Kingdom of Hejaz and Najd.
Those bilateral ties have evolved into a comprehensive strategic partnership that spans sectors such as energy, agriculture, industry, investment, science and education, culture and media, and humanitarian cooperation.
“Our friendship is built on mutual respect, trust, and a shared vision for the future,” he said.
Recent milestones include a growing tourism exchange, marked by a new mutual visa-exemption agreement in December 2025, and increased air connectivity through direct flights between Moscow-Riyadh and Moscow-Jeddah.
The ambassador also highlighted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Moscow in 2017 and President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Riyadh in 2019 as pivotal moments in advancing relations.
RT Studio Riyadh will “strengthen understanding between our peoples and provide viewers with deeper insight into political, cultural, and social developments in both countries,” he said.
Feb. 10 was also Russian Diplomatic Worker’s Day, an occasion that the presenters believe added symbolic significance to the launch.
The Kingdom’s Minister of Media Salman bin Yousef Al-Dosari was also present to celebrate the studio’s inauguration and expressed Saudi Arabia’s eagerness to strengthening its media partnerships.
“We are keen to support international media institutions and provide them with all necessary services to carry out their professional mission with ease and transparency,” he said.
That same evening, Al Riyadh newspaper signed a memorandum of understanding with RT promising news exchange and joint training cooperation.
The managing editor at Al Riyadh, Nawal Aljabr, described Studio Riyadh as a bridge connecting Russian and Arab audiences and an opportunity to explore future cooperation opportunities.
The inaugural guest of the platform was Prince Turki Al-Faisal, chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies.
The episode aired live at the opening on Tuesday and discussed topics pertaining to the historical roots of Saudi-Russian relations, the durability of ties amid global geopolitical shifts, and future cooperation prospects, as well as the Kingdom’s role regionally and internationally.
Each episode will run for 26 minutes and feature a discussion between Al-Rashed and a chosen guest on a current affairs topic.
RT Arabic, established in 2007, is the first Russian 24-hour Arabic-language news channel. It has become one of the most prominent and influential media outlets in the Middle East.
