The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), one of the largest labor unions in the U.S., has filed a lawsuit seeking to block Elon Musk‘s government efficiency project, known as DOGE, from accessing the Department of Labor’s systems. The union warned that this move could give Musk sensitive information related to investigations into his companies.
Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, was appointed by former President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The department’s goal is to eliminate fraud and waste in the federal government.
In the lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C. federal court, the AFL-CIO asked U.S. District Judge John Bates to prevent DOGE from gaining access to the Labor Department’s information systems. The union argued that such access could expose non-public information about investigations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) into Musk’s companies—SpaceX, Tesla, and The Boring Company—as well as those into his competitors.
Neither Musk nor DOGE spokespeople responded to requests for comment. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stated that Musk would step aside from matters involving conflicts of interest.
The AFL-CIO’s complaint also pointed to Musk’s growing influence over U.S. government agencies, including his control over sensitive data within the Treasury Department and the Office of Personnel Management. The union claims DOGE’s control could jeopardize the independence of federal agencies, especially the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and compromise workers’ compensation and wage theft records.
The lawsuit cites a Reuters report from 2023, which revealed that OSHA had investigated SpaceX over multiple safety violations, including one that resulted in a worker’s death. SpaceX has defended its safety practices in responses to OSHA and state agencies.
The union’s complaint also highlighted concerns about DOGE’s potential access to confidential worker information, including complaints made against Tesla and other companies. The AFL-CIO is requesting a temporary restraining order to prevent DOGE from gaining access to these databases.
It remains unclear when Judge Bates, appointed by former President George W. Bush, will issue a ruling on the union’s request.
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