Starlink founder and Tesla CEO let it be known, yet again, that he’s not the one to mess with. For whatever reason, KISS singer Gene Simmons targeted the businessman and accused him of being anti-union. The singer tagged Musk and Biden as if the gaffe-in-chief needed to ‘do something about how Musk handles his business.
“Actually, @elonmusk makes a solid point to Pres @JoeBiden. The President doesn’t mention Tesla, perhaps because Tesla is non-union and moved to Texas, a “right to work” state. Give Elon Musk/Tesla its due. They are game-changers and should be heralded,” Simmons wrote.
Musk replied to both KISS co-founder Gene Simmons and President Joe Biden in the same Twitter response to address his company’s non-union status, noting he “will do nothing to stop” a union vote at his company.
Actually, @elonmusk makes a solid point to Pres @JoeBiden. The President doesn’t mention Tesla, perhaps because Tesla is non-union and moved to Texas, a “right to work” state. Give Elon Musk/Tesla its due. They are game changers and should be heralded. https://t.co/uZeJMVujAQ
— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) March 2, 2022
Musk’s reply shocked Simmons and he changed his tune. Simmons praised Musk’s Tesla success as a “game changers and should be heralded.”
In an initial reply to Simmons, Musk noted Tesla has built two-thirds of all electric vehicles in North America. He claimed the total is twice as much as all other carmakers combined.
“Actually, we still operate our California factory, which is the largest auto plant in North America, at full capacity and are considering expanding it significantly,” Musk wrote.
“It has built 2/3 of all electric vehicles in North America, twice as much as all other carmakers combined,” he added.
Musk then added information regarding his challenge to lead Tesla in the Bay Area, adding that he would welcome a union vote.
“Our real challenge is Bay Area has negative unemployment, so if we don’t treat and compensate our (awesome) people well, they have many other offers and will just leave!” he wrote.
“I’d like hereby [sic] to invite UAW to hold a union vote at their convenience. Tesla will do nothing to stop them,” he added.
Our real challenge is Bay Area has negative unemployment, so if we don’t treat and compensate our (awesome) people well, they have many other offers and will just leave!
I’d like hereby to invite UAW to hold a union vote at their convenience. Tesla will do nothing to stop them.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 3, 2022
It will be interesting to see how Musk’s employees vote but I can’t say it will change how history remembers him. Musk has climbed his way to the top, building an outspoken empire that rendered aid to Ukraine in their hour of need.
Erica Carlin is an independent journalist, opinion writer and contributor to several news and opinion sources. She is based in Georgia.