Apple illegally subjected employees to “coercive” interviews and interfered with the distribution of union fliers at an Apple Store in New York City, a US Labor Council judge ruled Tuesday.
The finding marks the first time an administrative law judge with the National Labor Relations Board, a federal agency, has ruled against Apple. But it is not the last word on this topic. Apple may appeal the ruling to the agency’s full board of directors or to the Federal Court of Appeals.
Apple had no comment on the ruling Wednesday.
Lauren Esposito, the judge in the case, found that an Apple Store supervisor at the World Trade Center site had incorrectly asked an employee about his discussions with other workers about pay levels and about the employee’s opinion of union efforts across the company. The judge wrote that such activities contravene US labor law, which protects workers’ right to organize.
Similarly, Esposito ruled that Apple executives had singled out union publications, which are legally permitted in non-business spaces such as break rooms, for removal and disposal that sometimes involved shredding brochures.
The ruling requires Apple to “cease and desist” from activities the judge finds violate applicable labor protections, post workplace notices in the company’s name to acknowledge the court’s findings, inform employees of their labor rights and promise that the company will respect them.
Apple has four more labor complaints now pending before judges from the National Labor Relations Board.