[ [link removed] ]SIGN: STOP tax breaks for Elon Musk NOW!

Dear MoveOn member, 

Elon Musk has shockingly laid off thousands of workers: 2,700 at his Tesla
plant in Austin, Texas, 3,300 in California, and hundreds in Buffalo, New
York. This comes after months of union busting and worker exploitation.^1
Local governments poured MILLIONS of dollars in tax incentives into Tesla,
in part based on Musk's empty promises of job creation. It's unacceptable
and has to stop.

Tesla's massive layoffs have been described as "brutal," "chaotic," and a
"bloodbath."^2,3 And this is just the beginning. Musk wants to lay off
nearly 20% MORE workers.^4 Meanwhile, the Tesla board just approved Musk's
outrageous and greedy $45 BILLION compensation package, despite a judge
ruling earlier this year that it was "unfair" and "flawed."^5,6

[ [link removed] ]We can't let Musk cheat the system and profit off the backs of
hardworking people. Will you sign the petition to demand local governments
STOP giving Tesla tax breaks for "job creation" while it fires thousands
of workers?

Workers making the federal minimum wage would have to work 3.7 MILLION
YEARS just to earn what Musk greedily makes in ONE YEAR.^7 Urge state and
local elected officials to STOP giving Musk tax breaks!

[3]Sign the petition

In Texas, local officials handed Musk's Tesla $64 MILLION in tax breaks to
set up shop in Austin, and now Tesla is axing thousands of jobs.^8 It's a
pattern repeated in other parts of the country too, like California, where
Musk pocketed a $15 million tax break "tied to job creation."^9

Workers who helped build and maintain the Tesla Austin plant say they were
exploited and exhausted from the work. One worker had his hand mangled at
work, and the superintendents acted as if nothing happened. Safety
training and documentation were also part of the deal Musk made to get the
tax breaks, but researchers say that some of those documents were filled
out fraudulently.^10

[ [link removed] ]Tesla should NOT keep getting massive tax breaks while it's firing
thousands and ignoring the safety of its workers! It needs to live up to
its commitments to provide jobs with living wages, strong safety
standards, and job security.

Musk's other company, SpaceX is fighting to undo worker protections and
get rid of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the federal agency
that protects workers and unions. Recently, Musk filed a lawsuit to
destroy the NLRB, ridiculously calling it "the very definition of
tyranny."^11 Musk is no friend of workers. One electric vehicle expert
says this is "more than hiring inefficiency and restructuring … Musk is
cleaning house."^12

This should be a huge red flag. Yet Musk's company xAI recently announced
they're planning to build "the world's largest supercomputer" in Memphis,
Tennessee and local lawmakers are already rushing to applaud him for
creating good jobs.^13 After everything that has happened, Musk should not
be applauded for his empty promises, and his companies should NOT be given
massive tax breaks while failing to live up to their end of the deal.

[ [link removed] ]Click here to sign the petition, and then share with three friends to
help spread the word.

Thanks for all you do.

–Nur, Executive Director, Coworker.org

Sources:

1. "Tesla cutting around 2,700 jobs in Austin and more than 3,300 in
California as part of broad restructuring," CNBC, April 23, 2024
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

2. "Inside Tesla's chaotic month of brutal layoffs," Business Insider, May
11, 2024
[link removed]

3. "More Tesla employees laid off as bloodbath enters its fourth week,"
The Verge, May 6, 2024
[link removed]

4. Ibid. 

5. "Tesla Shareholders Approve Big Stock Package for Musk," The New York
Times, June 13, 2024
[link removed]

6. "Why Elon Musk's $55.8 Billion Compensation Package From Tesla Was
Struck Down by Judge," Investopedia, January 31, 2024
[link removed]

7. "Tesla asks shareholders to restore $56B Elon Musk pay package that was
voided by Delaware judge," Associated Press, April 17, 2024
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

8. "Tax Breaks Cushion Tesla's Texas Landing," The American Prospect,
April 25, 2022
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

9. "Tesla in line for $15 million in California tax credits," Austin
American-Statesman, September 27, 2018
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

10. "Elon Musk's Tesla Gigafactory Built on Wage Theft and Safety
Violations, Texas Workers Allege," Texas Observer, November 15, 2022
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
11. "Musk's SpaceX seeks to blow up federal labor enforcer," Politico,
January 4, 2024
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

12. "Elon Musk is throwing his weight around Tesla, comes in like a
wrecking ball," Electrek, May 1, 2024
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

13. "Elon Musk to Locate World’s Largest Supercomputer in Memphis," Radio
NWTN, June 5, 2024
[link removed]

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