The National Labor Relation Board has ruled that Apple’s strict non-disclosure rules are a breach of workers’ rights.
Both the company’s implicit actions, and statements made by the CEO “tend to interfere with, restrain or coerce employees” from exercising their rights, according to the Board.
This comes after two former employees lodged a complaint, alleging Apple’s work rules “prohibit employees from discussing wages, hours or other terms or conditions of employment,” in violation of labor laws.
The complaint also cites an email from CEO Tim Cook that the Board claims is a violation of federal laws.
Cook wrote to staff, saying “we do not tolerate disclosures of confidential information, whether it’s product IP or the details of a confidential meeting. People who leak confidential information do not belong here.”
“Apple fosters an open and inclusive work environment whereby employees are not just permitted, but encouraged, to share their feelings and thoughts on a range of issues, from social justice topics to pay equity to anything else that they feel is an important cause to promote in the workplace,” an attorney acted by Apple said in a statement.
Apple has already fallen foul of federal law in recent times. The NLRB found an anti-union meeting in Atlanta violated the law. In response, Apple said it will make “efforts to comply with its Human Rights Policy as it relates to workers’ freedom of association and collective bargaining rights in the United States by the end of calendar year 2023.”
