Apple faces multiple employee allegations in 2024.
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The National Labor Relations Board is again accusing Apple management of illegally stifling employee discussions about pay and bias, part of a the iPhone maker's overall anti-union campaign.
Adding to the ongoing stream of complaints, the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) general counsel said Apple pressured engineer Cher Scarlett to leave the company. She claims she faced pressure to leave after she tried to post an online survey about wages, experience levels and other information about Apple employees.
The board also accuses Apple of barring workers from creating a channel on the workplace messaging app Slack to discuss pay inequality and productivity incentives. Apple has denied the new complaint, the third time the NLRB has raised employee concerns in October alone.
“We strongly disagree with these allegations and will continue to share the facts at the hearing,” Apple said in a statement on the matter to Reuters. Scarlett’s attorney, Laurie Burgess, said her client was “pleased” to see the NLRB file a complaint against Apple.
“[We] look forward to holding [Apple] accountable in court for its widespread violations of workers’ labor rights,” she added. Apple has repeatedly said it is committed to maintaining a “positive and inclusive work environment” and takes employee complaints seriously.
Employee Complaints Against Apple Are Piling Up
In October, the NLRB accused Apple of forcing employees to sign illegal contracts and suppressing unionization efforts. Other employees have previously accused it of suppressing discussions about pay discrimination and bias on Slack and other social media platforms.
In May, the labor board ruled that Apple illegally questioned employees about union activity at an Apple World Trade Center store. It also found that the company restricted the distribution of union leaflets.
Of the 274 Apple stores in the U.S., only two retail locations have unionized. A recent unionization effort in Short Hills, New Jersey, failed because of Apple's anti-union tactics, advocates say.
A hearing on the latest charges is scheduled for June 2025 before an administrative law judge, who could rule in favor of one side or the other. NLRB decisions can be challenged in federal court, but the agency itself cannot award damages or hold management accountable for violations.
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