US labor board drops allegation that Apple’s CEO violated staff’ rights

The Nationwide Labor Relations Board has withdrawn “most of the claims” it made in opposition to Apple in relation to cases brought in 2021 by former staff, based on Bloomberg. Particularly, it dismissed an allegation that Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner violated employees’ rights when he despatched an all-staff e mail that 12 months, which mentioned “individuals who leak confidential data don’t belong” within the firm. Cook dinner additionally mentioned within the e mail that Apple was “doing every part in [its] energy to determine those that leaked” data from an inside assembly the earlier week, whereby administration answered employees’ questions on pay fairness and Texas’ anti-abortion legislation.

Apple did not “tolerate disclosures of confidential data, whether or not it’s product IP or the small print of a confidential assembly,” Cook dinner wrote on the time. The NLRB has now withdrawn a number of the claims made in complaints by former worker Ashley Gjøvik, together with that Apple advised staff to not disclose firm communications, and that it had suspended Gjøvik in retaliation and fired her unlawfully. However, not the entire allegations have been withdrawn. Apple settled a separate case with Gjøvik back in April, which she announced as a win for employees, because the settlement required Apple to revise guidelines round worker agreements and discussions of firm data to make clear “that staff can speak about their pay, working circumstances, and union organizing with out retaliation,” and communicate to the press, amongst different issues.

As well as dropping its declare that Cook dinner’s e mail violated employees’ rights, the labor board can be withdrawing its allegation that the firing of activist Janneke Parrish, one of many leaders of the #AppleToo motion, broke the legislation. It is dismissing its earlier allegations that Apple broke the legislation by imposing confidentiality guidelines and surveilling employees or making them assume they have been underneath surveillance, as effectively. After an investigation, NLRB beforehand got here to the conclusion that Cook dinner’s e mail and Apple’s total conduct have been “interfering with, restraining and coercing staff within the train of their rights.”

Bloomberg says this is only one occasion of the NLRB being extra pleasant to corporations underneath President Trump. We have reached out to the NLRB for extra data.

Correction, September 27, 2025, 6:42PM ET: This story incorrectly acknowledged that the NLRB had withdrawn claims made in opposition to Apple in complaints filed by staff together with Cher Scarlett. Scarlett’s costs in opposition to Apple, which relate to pay fairness, suppression of wage discussions and constructive discharge, haven’t been withdrawn or dismissed.

This text has additionally been up to date to incorporate further details about allegations by former worker Ashley Gjøvik which have been withdrawn, and about Apple’s earlier settlement with Gjøvik.