Apple maintains office insurance policies that unlawfully discourage workers from discussing working circumstances, a US labour company has discovered.
The National Labor Relations Board will problem a criticism focusing on the insurance policies and claiming Apple executives made feedback that stymied employee organising except the corporate settles first, an company official mentioned on Monday in an electronic mail reviewed by Reuters.
The official had despatched the e-mail to Ashley Gjovik, a former Apple senior engineering supervisor who filed complaints in opposition to the corporate in 2021.
The NLRB investigates expenses filed by staff and unions and decides whether or not to problem formal complaints in opposition to corporations. The company can search to strike down office insurance policies and require employers to inform staff of authorized violations.
Apple didn’t reply to a request for remark. The firm has mentioned it takes employee complaints critically and totally investigates them.
An NLRB spokeswoman didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Gjovik in an electronic mail on Tuesday mentioned she hoped the event will spur extra Apple staff to talk up about working circumstances and to organise.
In her complaints, Gjovik mentioned varied Apple guidelines, together with these regarding confidentiality and surveillance insurance policies, deter workers from discussing points resembling pay fairness and intercourse discrimination with one another and the media.
Gjovik additionally cited a 2021 electronic mail from Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook that allegedly sought to cease staff from talking to the press and mentioned “people who leak confidential information do not belong here.”
Many tech corporations have strict confidentiality insurance policies designed to guard commerce secrets and techniques.
US labour legislation prohibits insurance policies that would discourage staff from exercising their proper to band collectively to enhance working circumstances.
Apple is dealing with a number of pending NLRB complaints, together with one claiming the tech large unlawfully required staff at an Atlanta retail retailer to attend anti-union conferences. Apple has denied wrongdoing.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
