UAW files unfair labor practice charge against Trump, Musk

The United Auto Workers filed an unfair labor practice charge against Donald Trump's campaign and Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Tuesday after the former president advocated for firing striking employees during an interview on X.

"They go on strike, I won’t mention the name of the company, but they go on strike and you say, 'That’s OK, you’re all gone," Trump said in the Monday interview with Musk, who also owns the social media platform. "You’re all gone. So, every one of you is gone.”

Firing striking employees or threatening to do so is a violation of the National Labor Relations Act. Trump’s comments came amid his efforts to make inroads with rank-and-file union members despite most major unions — including the UAW — endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race.

The NLRB would need to investigate the UAW's complaint and decide whether to move forward if it finds that the charge has merit. Musk is already battling with the NLRB in federal courts trying to block it from carrying out enforcement actions against one of his other businesses, SpaceX.

The former president's comments were among several rambling rants he went on during his highly anticipated conversation with Musk.

Backlash: UAW President Shawn Fain called Trump a "scab" in a statement attacking him for siding with Musk, who is contributing to a super PAC supporting Trump's bid for the White House.

“Both Trump and Musk want working class people to sit down and shut up, and they laugh about it openly. It’s disgusting, illegal, and totally predictable from these two clowns,” Fain said.

Trump has likewise attacked Fain and other union leaders, saying members should defy them and vote to return him to the White House.

Neither the Trump campaign nor Musk had an immediate comment on the UAW's complaint.