The U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has formally ended its long-running legal action against SpaceX, dismissing a complaint that accused the aerospace company of illegally firing eight engineers. The decision, detailed in a letter from the NLRB to attorneys representing the affected workers, concludes the board’s involvement in the case after determining it no longer has authority to oversee the dispute.
The original complaint, filed in 2024, alleged that SpaceX terminated the engineers because of their participation in an open letter that criticized CEO Elon Musk. At the time, the NLRB said the dismissals violated federal labor law protections for employees who engage in concerted activity.
In the letter dismissing the case, NLRB regional director Danielle Pierce cited a recent opinion from the National Mediation Board (NMB) — a separate federal agency that traditionally oversees labor relations within the railroad and airline industries. That opinion concluded that SpaceX engineers fall under the NMB’s jurisdiction rather than the NLRB’s. Pierce wrote, “Accordingly, the National Labor Relations Board lacks jurisdiction over the employer and, therefore, I am dismissing your charge.”
The NLRB’s decision means the agency will not pursue the case further and has indicated it will not take on future matters involving SpaceX. SpaceX, the NLRB, and the NMB did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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