Workers at Twitter have warned that layoffs would be “reckless” only days before Elon Musk’s plan to buy the social media giant is set to finalize. According to Time, an unidentified number of Twitter workers have sent an open letter to Musk and the company’s board of directors.
The letter comes on the heels of a Washington Post story that Musk intends to lay off up to 75% of Twitter’s roughly 7,500 employees. “Elon Musk’s proposal to lay off 75% of Twitter employees would harm Twitter’s capacity to serve the public discussion,” according to the letter.
The letter also provides a list of requests for the company’s “current and future leadership.” In addition to “fair severance rules for all workers,” letter signatories urge Musk to maintain current employee benefits, including remote work. Musk has previously criticized remote labor and proposed that the majority of Twitter staff return to the office.
The letter also alluded to a potential ideological rift between some Twitter employees and Musk, who has stated that he prefers less moderation. “We demand that leadership not discriminate against employees based on their color, gender, handicap, sexual orientation, or political opinions,” adds the letter.
It is unknown how many employees have signed the letter thus far. However, it is simply another indication of how chaotic things may become for Twitter staff under Musk. After months of legal wrangling, the acquisition appears to be on pace to be completed by the October 28th deadline.
