The US National Labor Relations Board accused Apple of interfering with workers' rights to collectively advocate for better working conditions by restricting their use of social media and workplace messaging app Slack, the company said. agency on Friday.
The NLRB complaint, issued Thursday, accuses the iPhone maker of maintaining illegal workplace rules around acceptable uses of Slack, illegally firing an employee who advocated for workplace changes on Slack, demanding another worker remove a social media post and create the impression that employees were being monitored through social media.
This is the second time the NLRB has filed a complaint with Apple this month. Last week, the agency accused the company of requiring employees across the country to sign illegal confidentiality, nondisclosure and noncompete agreements and of imposing overbroad social media and misconduct policies.
Apple, in a statement provided by a spokesperson on Friday, said it is committed to maintaining “a positive and inclusive workplace” and takes employee complaints seriously.
“We strongly disagree with these claims and will continue to share the facts at the hearing,” the company said.
In response to last week's complaint, Apple denied wrongdoing and said it respects its employees' rights to discuss wages, hours and working conditions.
If Apple does not reach a settlement with the NLRB, an administrative law judge will hold an initial hearing on the case in February. The judge's decision can be reviewed by the five-member labor board, whose rulings can be appealed in federal court.
The new case arises from a complaint filed with the NLRB nearly three years ago by Janneke Parrish, who says Apple fired her in 2021 for playing a leading role in employee activism.
Parrish used Slack and public social media to advocate for permanent remote work, distribute a pay equity survey, detail alleged sexual and racial discrimination at Apple and post open letters critical of the company, according to the new complaint.
Slack, which allows workers to create group conversations, launched several years ago at Apple and became increasingly popular as a discussion forum during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NLRB complaint says Apple has a policy that prohibits workers from creating new Slack channels without permission from managers. Posts about workplace concerns should be directed to a manager or a “People Support” group, according to the complaint.
Parrish's attorney, Laurie Burgess, said in an email Friday that Apple had committed “broad violations” of workers' rights.
“We look forward to holding Apple accountable at trial for implementing apparently illegal rules and firing employees for engaging in the core protected activity of reporting gender discrimination and other civil rights violations that permeated the workplace,” Burgess said.
The lawsuit seeks an order forcing Apple to rescind its allegedly illegal policies and reimburse Parrish for lost income and other financial impacts of his firing.
© Thomson Reuters 2024
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