U.S. labor officials say Apple violated worker rights
- The US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found Apple guilty of violating labor laws after a year-and-a-half investigation into workplace harassment and labor organizing suppression complaints.
- The NLRB is recommending that Apple settles with the former employees. If no settlement is reached, the matter will be taken to court.
- The charges against Apple were brought by two former employees, Cher Scarlett and Ashley Gjøvik.
- The NLRB previously found merit in complaints against Apple for suppressing unionization in its retail stores. Apple declined to comment on the NLRB's findings.
The US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has found Apple guilty of breaking labor laws. The conclusion was reached after a year-and-a-half investigation that resulted from complaints from former employees. The NLRB says there's sufficient evidence to support the charges of workplace harassment and suppression of labor organizing against the technology company. The board is now recommending that the iPhone maker settles with the former employees. In the event of a non-settlement, the NLRB will only take the matter to court, where it will be prosecuted in front of an NLRB administrative judge. More than 90% of companies settle in such cases.
In September 2021, Apple CEO Tim Cook issued an email to staff members stating that "People who leak confidential information do not belong here." Some employees took issue with this statement and protested, saying they have the right to discuss protected issues, including workplace harassment and pay transparency. After the Financial Times published a report in which 15 current and former female employees claimed retaliation for complaining to HR, Apple acknowledged it had not lived up to its own standards and would make changes to its training and processes.
The five charges against Apple were brought by two former employees, Cher Scarlett, a software engineer, and Ashley Gjøvik, a senior engineering program manager. Scarlett left Apple in November 2021, while Gjøvik was fired in September of the same year. Scarlett stated that the decision of the NLRB "should help others feel empowered, to stand up for themselves and for others." Gjøvik, in a statement to the FT, added that Apple "systemically uses their secrecy policies... to cover up corporate malfeasance."
The NLRB has previously found merit in complaints against Apple for suppressing unionization attempts in its retail stores in Atlanta and New York. According to Kristin Hull, CEO of Nia Impact Capital, an investment group that has challenged Apple's use of non-disclosure agreements, "These cases are tremendously important as Apple, being one of the world's largest companies, is also a significant employer." Hull added that "Apple also sets many standards for the tech industry as far as employment, policies and procedures. Investors need to see they are living their brand values."
Apple declined to comment on the NLRB's findings.
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