Resolution on Elon Musk-controlled Enterprises

August 21, 2025

WHEREAS, MLK Labor is committed to advancing the rights of working people, promoting racial and economic justice, and defending democratic institutions that protect the dignity and well-being of all communities; and

WHEREAS, Tesla, Inc., under the leadership of CEO Elon Musk, has repeatedly engaged in anti-union practices, including union-busting, retaliatory firings, and fostering unsafe and discriminatory working conditions, in direct opposition to the values of the labor movement and the principles of workplace democracy; and

WHEREAS, Tesla has been the subject of numerous lawsuits and government investigations related to racial discrimination, sexual harassment, and violations of labor and safety laws, reflecting a systemic failure to uphold basic standards of corporate accountability and human dignity; and

WHEREAS, Elon Musk has used his wealth and influence to undermine democratic institutions, including the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and has expressed open contempt for regulatory oversight, including defiance of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); and

WHEREAS, Elon Musk’s leadership of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has resulted in unconstitutional actions, including mass firings of federal workers, the erosion of public sector jobs, and the attempted dismantling of agencies critical to public health and labor protections; and

WHEREAS, a whistleblower has alleged that DOGE engineers, under Elon Musk’s direction, accessed and potentially compromised sensitive NLRB data, raising serious cybersecurity and legal concerns, and threatening the integrity of the very agency tasked with protecting workers’ rights, including the right to organize and belong to a union; and

WHEREAS, Tesla’s declining financial performance, including collapsing sales, revenue, and stock value, raises serious concerns about the company’s long-term viability and the risks posed to public entities that rely on Tesla products and services; and

WHEREAS, Tesla’s continued opposition to collective bargaining and its failure to meet transparency standards in political spending—as reflected in its 0.0% score on the 2024 CPA-Zicklin Index—demonstrate a disregard for democratic accountability and ethical governance; and

WHEREAS, Elon Musk has used his control of social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to amplify hate speech, conspiracy theories, and extremist ideologies, undermining public trust in journalism, democratic discourse, and social cohesion; and

WHEREAS, MLK Labor believes that public dollars should not be used to subsidize corporations or individuals who actively work against the interests of working people, marginalized communities, and democratic institutions, and public dollars should support high-road, union jobs in all sectors of our economy.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that MLK Labor calls on the City of Seattle, King County, and all public agencies therein to immediately halt any new procurements, contracts, subsidies, or investments involving Tesla, SpaceX, Starlink, X (formerly Twitter), xAI, The Boring Company, or any Elon Musk-controlled business entities, until such entities demonstrate a sustained commitment to labor rights, democratic values, and corporate accountability.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that MLK Labor urges the City of Seattle and King County to conduct a full review of all existing contracts with Elon Musk-controlled business entities, and to cancel those contracts where legally and ethically feasible, in alignment with the public interest and the values of equity, transparency, and worker justice.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that MLK Labor urges the City of Seattle and King County to invest in good union jobs through its procurements, contracts, subsidies, or investments by purchasing union-made vehicles.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that MLK Labor’s Executive Committee shall sign the Open Letter to Seattle and King County Councils (attached), urging to vote in favor of resolutions prohibiting any new procurements, contracts, subsidies, or investments involving Tesla, Starlink, X (formerly Twitter), xAI, X Payments, The Boring Company, SpaceX, or any Elon Musk-controlled enterprises.