Apple Faces New Accusations of Violating Workers’ Rights in the Workplace

The National Labor Relations Board has accused Apple of interfering with workers’ rights regarding collective calls for improving working conditions. The board claims that the company restricted employees’ use of social media and the Slack messaging app at the workplace.

The complaint, filed by the National Labor Relations Board, alleges that Apple maintained unlawful work rules related to acceptable uses of Slack, unlawfully terminated an employee for advocating workplace changes, and compelled another worker to delete a post on social media. The complaint also includes allegations that the company created an impression that employees are being monitored through social media.

This is the second time the National Labor Relations Board has filed a complaint against Apple this month. Last week, the board accused the company of imposing unlawful agreements related to confidentiality, non-disclosure, and non-competition on employees, as well as enforcing strict policies on misconduct and social media.

Apple, in a statement, reiterated its strong commitment to maintaining a “positive and inclusive work environment” and stated that it takes employee complaints seriously, expressing strong disagreement with the allegations and pledging to present facts during the hearing.

Regarding the complaint from last week, the company denied any wrongdoing and affirmed its respect for employees’ rights to discuss wages, working hours, and working conditions.

If Apple fails to reach a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board, an administrative judge is scheduled to hold a preliminary hearing on the case in February. The five-member labor board can review the judge’s decision, which can be appealed to federal court.

This case stems from a complaint filed by Janky Parsh to the National Labor Relations Board about three years ago, alleging that Apple terminated her in 2021 due to her leadership role in employee activities. Parsh used Slack and social media to advocate for remote work, distribute wage equality surveys, and post open messages criticizing the company, according to the complaint.

Slack, a platform that allows employees to create group chats, has been increasingly popular within Apple over the past few years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The complaint states that the company enforces a policy prohibiting employees from creating new Slack channels without permission from managers. Workplace-related posts must be directed to a manager or “People Support” group.

Parsh’s lawyer, Laurie Bourgeois, stated in an email that Apple has engaged in “widespread violations” of workers’ rights, indicating they are looking to hold the company accountable in court for implementing unlawful rules and terminating employees for engaging in protected activity that exposes gender discrimination and other civil rights violations.

The complaint seeks an order requiring Apple to rescind its alleged unlawful policies and to compensate Parsh for lost income and other financial repercussions resulting from her termination.