Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla, appears to be approaching the level of public loathing heretofore reserved for folks like Pharma Bro and Kim Jong-un. He let go thousands of Twitter's 7,500 workers after purchasing the company in late 2022 - according to widespread reports, as much as half of Twitter's workforce.
The rally took place outside Twitter headquarters at 1355 Market Street at 11 a.m., said Steve Zeltzer, who led the rally with fellow labor activist Andrew Kong Knight.
Performers at the event included the Angry Tired Teachers Band, a pro-labor group whose playlists include selections like "(I Can't Get No) Contract Satisfaction." Kong Knight, a muralist and former Hayward high school teacher, will present a painting depicting Musk on a one-way trip to Mars.
Zeltzer said the event is in support of both the laid-off workers and those who remain at Twitter.
Zelter said: “There's a cult of personality around Elon and we want to burst the bubble about who he really is. His employees need protection. They need labor rights.”
The layoffs prompted a class action lawsuit filed November 4th in San Francisco federal court by employees who alleged the terminations violated state and federal labor laws.
