Apple accused of restricting workers' rights; here's what US labour board alleged

Apple faces another complaint from the National Labor Relations Board ( NLRB ). The US labour board has accused the tech giant of interfering with employees' rights to organise and advocate for better working conditions . The complaint alleges that Apple unlawfully restricted the use of social media and workplace messaging app Slack, illegally fired an employee for advocating for workplace changes on Slack, and created an impression of surveillance through social media monitoring after it asked a worker to delete a social media post.

This marks the second NLRB complaint against Apple this month. The previous complaint focused on allegations of illegal confidentiality agreements and overly broad social media policies imposed on employees nationwide. However, Apple has denied these allegations and said that it respects its employees' rights to discuss wages, hours and working conditions.


Why Apple is facing these accusations


The complaint, stemming from a 2021 case filed by former Apple employee Janneke Parrish , alleges that the company’s policies prohibited creating new Slack channels without manager approval and directed workplace discussions to supervisors or a "People Support" group.

Parrish, who claims she was fired for her activism, used Slack and social media to advocate for remote work, conduct pay equity surveys, and raise concerns about discrimination. The NLRB will hold a hearing in February if Apple does not settle.

Parrish's lawyer Laurie Burgess asserts that Apple engaged in "extensive violations" of worker rights. The case highlights the ongoing debate surrounding employee activism and the use of digital platforms for workplace discussions.

"We look forward to holding Apple accountable at trial for implementing facially unlawful rules and terminating employees for engaging in the core protected activity of calling out gender discrimination and other civil rights violations that permeated the workplace," Burgess said.

The NLRB complaint against Apple seeks to have the company's allegedly unlawful policies revoked and to secure compensation for Parrish. This compensation would cover lost income and other financial repercussions resulting from her termination.