Tesla: "Musk's Tweets Are Merely Freedom of the Press"... Files Lawsuit to Cancel Order to Delete Tweets

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] U.S. electric vehicle company Tesla has defied a federal agency's order to delete a Twitter post by CEO Elon Musk containing threats against labor unions and has initiated a lawsuit.

According to CNBC on the 5th (local time), Tesla filed a lawsuit at the New Orleans Federal Court of Appeals requesting the withdrawal of the tweet deletion order issued by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Tesla also asked the court to review the NLRB's order to reinstate a fired union activist and pay wages.

Tesla stated, "The orders and decisions of the National Labor Relations Board violate the law," and "We request the court to provide just and fair relief."

Last month, the NLRB ordered the deletion of a tweet by Musk from 2018, in which he threatened that employees attempting to join a union would not receive stock options.

At the time, Musk said, "Nothing can stop Tesla team members from voting for a union," but added, "Why would they pay union dues and give up stock options?"

Tesla has countered the NLRB's order by arguing that "Musk's tweet is protected free speech under the First Amendment."

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