The US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has unexpectedly dropped much of the charges in the case it brought against Apple earlier this year. The decision is a significant relief for the tech giant, especially as it takes the spectre of legal liability away from the CEO himself, Tim Cook.
The case originated in September 2021, after information from an internal company meeting was leaked to the media. It discussed sensitive issues such as equal pay and Apple’s response to Texas’ restrictive abortion laws.
In response, Tim Cook sent an email to employees announcing that the company would make every effort to identify those responsible for the leak. The NLRB considered this email to be a violation of federal employment law, which may have discouraged employees from discussing their terms and conditions of employment. This key allegation has now been rejected.
The NLRB’s Office of General Counsel also withdrew other significant claims. These included the unlawful imposition of confidentiality rules, the dismissal of employee Janneke Parrish, who had been involved in labour activism, and allegations of crew surveillance or creating the impression of being under constant surveillance.
The regulator’s decision is an important, though not closing, chapter in the growing Apple-employee tensions. The company has faced at least three other complaints in the past about discouraging conversations about discrimination or pay inequality.
Despite its current legal success, Apple, like other Silicon Valley companies, still has to navigate an environment of growing awareness and labour activism. The company has consistently denied all allegations.
