San Diego Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez used a thinly disguised expletive on social media to criticize Elon Musk’s threat to move Tesla out of California.
Musk made the threat amid an escalating battle with the Alameda County Public Health Department over when operations at the automaker’s plant in Fremont can restart amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The billionaire entrepreneur said on Twitter Saturday that the company is preparing to file a lawsuit against the county and will move its headquarters and future operations out of California.
Gonzalez tweeted her anger on Saturday evening, then on Sunday thought better of her comment but not of Musk’s threat.
California has highly subsidized a company that has always disregarded worker safety & well-being, has engaged in union busting & bullies public servants. I probably could’ve expressed my frustration in a less aggressive way. Of course, no one would’ve cared if I tweeted that.
— Lorena (@LorenaSGonzalez) May 10, 2020
Gonzalez was a union organizer before entering politics, and is known for her sponsorship of Assembly Bill 5, which requires most independent contractors to become shift employees. Tesla’s employees are not unionized.
On Sunday, Musk tweeted to Gonzalez “message received” and his company announced it is preparing to restart auto production on Monday.
Tesla is the only company producing cars in California and employs approximately 10,000 people at the Fremont plant.