Washington
CNN
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According to investigators from the National Labor Relations Board, Apple illegally imposed rules prohibiting its employees from discussing their pay and engaging in other protected activities.
The NLRB agents’ findings determined that “various work rules, handbook rules and confidentiality rules at Apple” were unlawful because they “unreasonably interfered with, restricted or coerced” workers trying to assert their rights, NLRB spokeswoman Kayla Blato said. told CNN on Tuesday.
The investigation included several allegations dating back to 2021, some of which, Blato said Apple blames it Interference with the employee’s efforts to collect salary data and “repressive activity involving abuse and harassment by organizers” is one of the charges. requested Apple maintained “work rules that prevent employees from discussing pay, hours or other terms or conditions of employment.”
Apple declined to comment. Agency findings reported first Bloomberg.
The rulings could put pressure on Apple or risk facing a formal complaint by NLRB prosecutors in an internal administrative law proceeding — which could result in an order to change Apple’s business practices. The NLRB does not have the authority to impose fines, but can compel employers to implement “full remedies” accordingly Website.
According to Bloomberg, the lawsuits in question were brought by two former Apple employees, one of whom cited an email from CEO Tim Cook promising to prevent leaks at the company. Only a few of the charges filed have been made public through Freedom of Information Act requests, and those on the NLRB website have been partially redacted. The contents of the investigators’ findings have also not been made public.
But as part of the investigation, the NLRB regional office “found merit to allege that Apple’s statements and conduct — including those of top executives — also violated the National Labor Relations Act,” Plato said.
Ashley Gjovic, a former employee who cited the Cook email in her allegations, told CNN she doesn’t want to accept any settlement offer from Apple because she hopes it will admit it violated labor laws and revise its applicable policies. labor
“They don’t have a sense of impunity — they actually have it with these policies,” Kjovic said, pointing to several confidentiality clauses in Apple’s employee handbook that allow Apple to intimidate workers into silence about workplace retaliation. “I want to get to the heart of the problems I’ve seen.”
Apple has previously clashed with the NLRB over its handling of unionized workers at its retail stores.
Apple took a hit complaint The NLRB questioned employees about their support for a union and selectively banned pro-union flyers from being placed in a break room at a New York City Apple store. In a filing with the NLRB, Apple pushed back on those claims.
