On Friday, California administrative law judge Amita Baman Tracy ruled that Tesla and CEO Elon Musk violated the Labor Relations Act in 2017 and again in 2018. According to the ruling, Tesla illegally threatened and retaliated against employees, and in a 2018 Tweet by Elon Musk, threatened the loss of stock options if unionization occurred at Tesla's Fremont, California manufacturing plant.

The judge's ruling calls for Tesla to offer reinstatement and back-pay to a single pro-union employee that was previously fired. Tesla must also revoke a warning they issued to another union-supporting employee. The ruling also orders Tesla to hold an employee meeting at the Freemont assembly plant, and Musk must be in attendance.