Elon Musk reportedly planning to gut Twitter by 75%
An 'Outnumbered' panel reacts to reports that Tesla CEO Elon Musk is planning to cut 75% of Twitter's workforce after his buyout of the social platform is finalized.
Twitter staff have composed an open letter to billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk protesting his plan to fire nearly 75% of the social media company’s employees once he has completed his purchase of the platform.
The letter, which began circulating the internet on Monday, provided a list of demands employees want Musk to follow should he acquire Twitter, chief among them being a demand that he commits to keeping the current the number of employees.
Other demands include that the Tesla CEO not discriminate against employees based on their political beliefs, commit to "fair" severance policies, and be transparent about the company’s working conditions.
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Many on the left are sounding the alarm about Elon Musk’s potential Twitter takeover. (FOX)
Critics mocked the letter on Twitter, remarking on the sheer privilege and entitlement it has revealed on the part of the employees.
The text of the letter began with a heavy condemnation of Musk’s plans for the company, considering them a "threat," not just to Twitter and its employees, but to the "public conversation" as well.
It stated, "We, the undersigned Twitter workers, believe the public conversation is in jeopardy. Elon Musk’s plan to lay off 75% of Twitter workers will hurt Twitter’s ability to serve the public conversation. A threat of this magnitude is reckless, undermines our users’ and customers’ trust in our platform, and is a transparent act of worker intimidation."
The letter also stated that Musk’s proposals, including laying off employees, "threaten our livelihoods, access to essential healthcare, and the ability for visa holders to stay in the country they work in."
It added, "We cannot do our work in an environment of constant harassment and threats. Without our work, there is no Twitter."
The letter then made its list of demands, starting with "Respect: We demand leadership to respect the platform and the workers who maintain it by committing to preserving the current headcount." Next, it said, "Safety: We demand that leadership does not discriminate against workers on the basis of their race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs."
That was followed by "Protection: We demand Elon Musk explicitly commit to preserve our benefits, those both listed in the merger agreement and not (e.g. remote work). We demand leadership to establish and ensure fair severance policies for all workers before and after any change in ownership."
Elon Musk's Twitter profile displayed on a phone screen and Twitter logo displayed on a screen are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on September 15, 2022. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
And lastly, it demanded, "Dignity," stating, "We demand transparent, prompt and thoughtful communication around our working conditions. We demand to be treated with dignity, and to not be treated as mere pawns in a game played by billionaires."
Several conservatives on Twitter ridiculed this list of demands.
National Pulse editor-in-chief Raheem Kassam wrote, "NEW: An unknown number of Twitter employees are circulating an open letter to @elonmusk demanding they be allowed to keep all their jobs, pick journalistic and geopolitical winners and losers, and retain all their employment benefits. The participation trophy generation."
Conservative commentator Jason Howerton tweeted, "@Twitter employees are so entitled & unaccustomed to accountability, they've sent a letter to the OWNER of the co. with a litany of ‘demands.’ That's not how life works. If I wanted to keep my job, I'd be working to make it clear to @elonmusk how much value I bring to the co."
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National Review podcast co-host Jeffrey Blehar tweeted, "That ‘open letter’ from Twitter employees demanding (not requesting, DEMANDING) they not only not be fired but given more control over internal HR policy AND the entire global public discourse...man, that's something else. Maybe Elon should aim for an 80% target instead."
U.S. Marine veteran and author Dave Ross wrote, "No no no… THIS is 2022. employees tell the bosses what they’re doing wrong and you gotta do it MY way or else."
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The billionaire has said he believes at least 20% of Twitter's users could be spam, fake accounts. (Getty Images | istock)
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