Unions that are suing over probationary employee terminations are challenging a new piece of the Trump administration’s plans to downsize the federal government: a weekend email from Elon Musk demanding that workers justify their jobs.
In an amended complaint filed Sunday, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and other unions representing federal workers wrote that Musk’s email violated procedural requirements and should be struck down by a federal court in California.
“Once again, Elon Musk and the Trump Administration have shown their utter disdain for federal employees and the critical services they provide to the American people,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley in a statement Saturday after Musk posted on social media that failure to respond to the email would be treated as a resignation.
“It is cruel and disrespectful to hundreds of thousands of veterans who are wearing their second uniform in the civil service to be forced to justify their job duties to this out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire who has never performed one single hour of honest public service in his life,” Kelley continued.
