An open letter is reportedly being circulated within the staff of social media platform Twitter Inc. protesting that it would be reckless for Elon Musk to make layoffs within the company. This follows reports that Elon Musk wants to make massive layoffs within the company, affecting about 7,500 people, after completing the acquisition of Twitter.
After the reports emerged, Twitter employees sent this open letter to Elon Musk and the board of directors in which they said in their minds, “Elon Musk plans to lay off 75 percent of Twitter’s workforce, a move that will harm Twitter’s ability to serve the public conversation. This massive layoff is reckless, undermines the trust our users and customers have in the platform, and is a clear act of worker intimidation. We cannot operate in an environment where there is constant harassment and threats.”
The letter also includes a checklist of requirements for the company’s “current and future leadership.” In addition to “establishing a fair exit policy for all workers,” the letter writers want Elon Musk to maintain existing employee benefits, including the right to work remotely. Elon Musk has previously criticized telecommuting and suggested that most Twitter employees should return to their offices.
It is unclear how many workers have signed the open letter so far. But it’s another sign of how chaotic the Twitter employee environment will become under Elon Musk. Currently, after a months-long legal battle, the deal appears to be on track to close by an Oct. 28 deadline.
