SAN FRANCISCO - Many current and former Twitter employees, known as tweeps, were quick to jump in and share their reactions on Tuesday morning to the news that Elon Musk was again interested in acquiring Twitter for US$44 billion (S$62.6 billion).
It was the latest twist in the saga that has cast a shadow over their professional lives since April, when the billionaire Tesla chief executive officer first agreed to purchase the social network.
Many current and former Twitter employees, known as tweeps, were quick to jump in and share their reactions on Tuesday morning. A meme account run by one employee repeatedly joked about people simply trying to get through the day without crying. "Somebody's tired of getting embarrassed in court," wrote a former worker.
The cafeteria sound system in Twitter's New York office even chimed in. It was playing the song "Should I Stay or Should I Go" by the Clash.
That question is on the minds of a lot of Twitter staffers now that it's more likely that Musk will buy the company. For the past three months, Musk has been trying to walk away from his agreement, disparaging Twitter and its executives and creating confusion and instability at the company as the two sides fought an expensive legal battle. While Twitter's board understandably supports a sale at US$54.20 a share, many workers have dreaded the prospect.
They have taken issue with everything from his politics (he voted in Texas for a far-right Republican for Congress this year) to his personal life (he was accused of sexual harassment in May) to his views on remote work (not a fan). Some employees in the past have mocked him ruthlessly on internal Slack channels. One employee posted on Slack in May that Musk "puts the douche in fiduciary."
If the newest development holds and Musk does actually take over, it remains to be seen how workers will react, though there have been hints as to how things might change under his leadership. The SpaceX and Tesla CEO has publicly criticized some of Twitter's executives, and text messages unveiled last week as part of the ongoing lawsuit show that Musk is unlikely to keep Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal in charge.
There's also the question of whether other senior employees will want to work for Musk. The billionaire has criticized Twitter's policy decisions and its top policy and legal executive, Vijaya Gadde, a move that generated a lot of anger internally given that Gadde is broadly well-liked.
It's also likely that Musk will cut costs at the company, a move that was part of his pitch to bankers early in the process when he was working to line up financing for the deal. At an all-hands meeting with Twitter employees in June, Musk acknowledged the company "needs to get healthy" and alluded to layoffs if and when he takes over. Musk's promise that "exceptional" employees needn't worry about being laid off or called back into the office did not sit well with some.
If workers choose to quit or are forced to leave Twitter, their options for other jobs at large technology companies may be limited, as several other major employers have announced hiring freezes and cost cuts of their own. BLOOMBERG
