The U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has filed a complaint against Apple, alleging that the tech giant has violated federal labor laws by enforcing unlawful workplace policies. The complaint centers on claims that Apple hindered employees’ rights to organize and advocate for better working conditions.
According to the NLRB, Apple required employees nationwide to sign illegal confidentiality, non-disclosure, and non-compete agreements. These agreements, along with the company’s misconduct and broad social media policies, are said to interfere with, restrain, and coerce employees as they exercise their legal rights under federal labor law.
Apple has responded to the allegations through a spokesperson, stating that it respects employees’ rights to discuss wages, work hours, and working conditions. The company firmly disagrees with the accusations and plans to present its case at an upcoming hearing.
If a resolution is not reached beforehand, an administrative judge is scheduled to hear the case in January. The NLRB seeks to compel Apple to retract the disputed policies and inform its U.S. workforce of their legal rights. Decisions made by the administrative judge can be reviewed by the full NLRB board, and any rulings may be appealed to federal courts.
This development highlights ongoing tensions between large corporations and labor authorities over employee rights and workplace policies. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for employment practices within the tech industry and beyond.
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U.S. labor board files complaint against Apple over employee rights
cgtn.com
