Workers at the US Department of Labor are organizing a protest in anticipation of a crucial meeting with Elon Musk's staff at the "department of government efficiency" (Doge). This significant event is scheduled to occur at the Frances Perkins Building in Washington DC at 4 PM on Wednesday. The protest stems from concerns over Musk's actions and the unprecedented influence his team wields within federal agencies.
Doge staff have already been present at the headquarters of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) in Silver Spring, Maryland, on Tuesday, marking a series of agency visits. These developments come as SpaceX, one of Musk's ventures, engages in a legal battle with the National Labor Relations Board, questioning the board's constitutionality. The visits to various agencies began after Musk's team took control of the office of personnel management shortly following Donald Trump's inauguration.
Musk's staff have been sending mass emails to federal employees, advocating for voluntary resignations as part of an effort to drastically shrink the federal workforce. Many actions by Musk and his team have faced allegations of illegality, leading to lawsuits aimed at curbing their access to federal data and servers. Notably, the US Department of Labor has been contacted for comment amidst these tumultuous proceedings.
Beyond this, Musk and his Doge staff have targeted multiple federal agencies, among them the US Agency for International Development, which Musk erroneously labeled as a "criminal organization." Furthermore, Doge has achieved direct access to payment systems within the US Treasury Department, responsible for nearly all government payments.
A Department of Labor employee voiced concerns over potential retaliation for opposing the meeting. The employee noted that the idea of such a meeting would have seemed unfathomable just weeks ago. Lower-level IT supervisors have reportedly been instructed to remain late after the 4 PM meeting to assist Doge staff with system setups.
"Lower-level IT supervisors were basically asked to plan to stay late after the 4pm meeting to assist with getting Doge folks set up on our systems," – A Department of Labor employee who requested to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation.
Elon Musk's companies, including Tesla, SpaceX, and Boring Company, have previously faced significant fines issued by divisions within the agency. Jordan Barab, a former deputy assistant secretary of labor, expressed concerns about safeguarding confidential information at the department. This includes sensitive data for whistleblowers, economic statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and personnel details.