House Reps Call for Investigation into Apple’s Alleged Labor Abuses

Lawmakers in the United States are looking into the world’s largest technology company, Apple Inc. for allegedly going after pro-union retail employees.

In a letter sent to the National Relations Board (NLRB), House Representatives Emanuel Cleaver and Sylvia Garcia, are requesting an investigation into the supposed exploitations in Kansas and Houston, Missouri stores.

According to the politicians, Apple fired five Kansa City staff while vehemently rejecting unionization efforts. The tech company reportedly disciplined several of its employees in Houston amid claims they attempted to organize.

“Any claim that the biggest company in the world is using its power to silence and eliminate workers’ basic right to negotiate for fair wages, improved benefits, and better workplace safety is very troubling—but claims of retaliation from many workers at the same retail store should be looked into with the seriousness this matter requires,” Garcia and Cleaver stated in the letter.

Apple Violating Labor Rights?

The Communications Works of America union (CWA) filed charges against Apple with the NLRB back in March over the supposed retaliation. As Apple took advantage of trivial employee mistakes such as slightly late arrivals, including typos in timesheets to sack and intimidate workers.

Some employees said that the company made them sign a release of the claims for their severance packages to be released. Garcia and Cleaver have described these actions as illegal.

The two lawmakers referenced a filing made by NLRB in January against Apple for violating labor rights by putting in place guidelines preventing leaks and discussions around employment conditions.

Garcia and Cleaver are concerned that a pattern could be taking shape and conditions could worsen for Apple’s retail employees if something is not done as soon as possible. The board had pointed out in December that Apple was breaking the law by conducting anti-union discussions in Atlanta.

Across many of Apple’s retail stores, the tone of the meetings was uniform. The managers kicked off proceedings with a statement from the company’s higher-ups, followed by a discussion on the ongoing union negotiations taking place in Towson, Maryland. Notably, this is the first unionized Apple store in the United States.

“While Apple didn’t say it, the underlying message to the company’s tens of thousands of retail employees: if your store unionizes, you may be at a disadvantage,” Bloomberg reported at the time.

Apple Argues It Can Care For Retail Workers Better

Apple has stated in the past that it can care for its retail employees without the involvement of unions to the extent of increasing compensation, improving benefits, and loosening scheduling rules.

While the letter addressed to the National Labor Relations Board by lawmakers doesn’t impose any legal obligation for the agency to take action, it reflects the increasing scrutiny Apple’s contentious employment policies have garnered from the government.

Although the outcome of any investigation that might follow is uncertain, it suggests a growing interest on the part of the federal authorities in the company’s labor practices.

Whether or not the NLRB responds to the letter, it’s likely that Apple will continue to face more regulatory attention in this regard.

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