
Elon Musk claims employee pushing to unionize is a paid agitator, UAW denies - kafkaesq
https://electrek.co/2017/02/10/tesla-union-elon-musk-uaw/
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ejlangev
From the comments: 'This response from Musk comes across as "when someone has
a complaint, attempt to discredit them instead of responding to said
complaints," which is just deflection. If Tesla feels that these complaints
are misleading and has systems in place to address them, explain those systems
and respond to the criticisms themselves, don't attack the messenger.'

Agree with this comment. The details in the article make it seem unlikely that
the counter claim that the person in question was a plant of UAW seem
unlikely. Unfortunate that Musk didn't use the opportunity to make this a
positive response rather than a negative one.

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gdulli
> Our understanding is that this guy was paid by the UAW to join Tesla

Calling it his "understanding" gives him a lot of latitude to say anything
that happens to be convenient without offering any evidence. Let's check back
if he actually produces any. Until then, we should be aware it's lazy and
dangerous for the media to present opposing sides of just any point as equally
legitimate when one side has a definitively greater burden of proof.

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davidgerard
Key evidence against Musk's claim:

> Considering the employee in question has been working at Tesla for four
> years and this is the first evidence of “agitating for a union”, it would
> truly be a “long con”, if true.

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JumpCrisscross
Playing devil's advocate, he could have been an employee before being
recruited as a paid agitator.

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ekiru
That would directly contradict Musk's claim that the UAW paid the employee to
join Tesla.

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elperdido
Musk is a 'paid agitator' for environmentally responsible consumption, for the
benefits of interplanetary civilization. For, generally, Silicon Valley's
ethos of progress. It does not discredit him. Readers here know that
intellectual & ideological workers labor as much as any farm or factory hand.
To pay them does not impugn their sincerity (nor would their volunteerism
imply idealism). Open source software may be malicious, closed source software
commendable.

Musk is a thoughtful capitalist: the above notion has occurred to him. He
speaks cynically. Though a paid agitator for shareholder value, I had thought
him until now sincere. Disappointing!

