Apple disagrees with allegations of limiting workers' Slack, social media use: reports

Apple has denied new accusations from the US National Labour Relations Board (NLRB) that it is restricting workers' Slack and social media use, according to reports.

The NLRB is accusing Apple of maintaining unlawful work rules around the acceptable uses of work messaging app Slack, terminating an employee who advocated for workplace changes on Slack, forcing another worker to delete a social media post, and creating an environment where employees felt surveilled on social media, Reuters reported.

The NLRB's complaint particularly mentions that Apple requires employees to seek managerial approval before creating new Slack channels and restricts posts about workplace issues to certain designated groups, such as managers or the "People Support" team.

Apple's statement to the news outlet denies the accusations filed by the NLRB.

"We strongly disagree with these claims and will continue to share the facts at the hearing," the company said in the statement.

The statement added that Apple is committed to maintaining a "positive and inclusive workplace," Reuters reported. It also stressed that the company takes employee complaints seriously.

Complaints against Apple

The case stems from a complaint filed almost three years ago by Janneke Parrish, a former Apple employee who alleges she was fired in 2021 due to her involvement in employee activism, according to Reuters.

Parrish reportedly used Slack and social media platforms to advocate for remote work, share a pay equity survey, and highlight allegations of discrimination at Apple.

In a statement posted on X, Parrish shared that she is looking forward to justice finally being done for Apple employees: "Workers have the right [to] discuss and improve their working conditions - that right must be enforced."

Laurie Burgess, Parrish's lawyer, told Reuters that Apple's actions amounted to "extensive violations" of workers' rights.

"We look forward to holding Apple accountable at trial for implementing facially unlawful rules and terminating employees for engaging in the core protected activity of calling out gender discrimination and other civil rights violations that permeated the workplace," Burgess said.

This is the second time this month that Apple has been accused of unlawful workplace rules.

Earlier this month, the NLRB accused Apple of requiring employees in the United States to sign illegal confidentiality, non-disclosure, and non-compete agreements, as well as imposing overly broad misconduct and social media policies.

Apple has also strongly disagreed with the accusations.

If Apple does not settle the cases with the NLRB, an administrative judge will rule on the complaint, which will be reviewed by a five-member labour board. This ruling can be appealed to federal appeals courts.