NLRB Withdraws Claims That Tim Cook's Anti-Leak Email Violated Labor Laws

[MacRumors]

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is no longer targeting Apple for a 2021 email that Apple CEO Tim Cook sent to employees, reports Bloomberg. The NLRB said that it is withdrawing most of the claims in a complaint that accused Cook of violating U.S. labor law by warning employees about leaking confidential information.

Cook sent the email in 2021, stating that Apple was working to identify people who had leaked information, and that such people do not belong at Apple. Cook's email followed a leaked Apple meeting that included topics like pay equity and working from home.

The NLRB said that Apple's rules around leaks "tend to interfere with, restrain or coerce employees" from the exercise of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

Claims that Apple broke the law by imposing confidentiality rules and surveilling workers are being withdrawn.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: NLRB Withdraws Claims That Tim Cook's Anti-Leak Email Violated Labor Laws

 

[Schizoid]

Paul O’Grady looks right p*ssed off doesn’t he?!

 

[centauratlas]

The NLRB was way out of bounds with this, it is about time they pulled it.

 

[t0rqx]

Guess that golden plateau gift paid off...

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

what's the context behind that pic

 

[Plutonius]

The National Labor Relations Board in 2021 thought that warning employees against releasing classified information was in violation of people's rights ?

Was this actually a serious lawsuit ?

 

[CapitalIdea]

Guess that golden plateau gift paid off...

No, it was a losing case. Reminding employees not to leak trade secrets and product plans is perfectly normal and claiming it’s some kind of microaggression or some such is stupid.

 

[magicschoolbus]

Man he straight cook'in in that photo

 

[t0rqx]

The National Labor Relations Board in 2021 thought that warning employees against releasing classified information was in violation of people's rights ?

Was this actually a serious lawsuit ?

As serious as the lawsuit that microwaving a cat is possible, cause the manual did not mention it.

 

[tyranne201]

Threat to the employees. Apple is probably the most toxic tech bro company in silicon valley. I surprise would never want to work there.

 

[tyranne201]

"We don't like pay equity and work from home"

*LEAKS*

Apple targets employees. So sad.

iOS 26 is a huge mess. And people work in office. It is proven work from home increases productivity. They of course want micromanage their people.

 

[jz0309]

that was never going to go anywhere ... confidential information is confidential for a reason.

 

[rgwebb]

It’s pays to kiss the cheeks of Il Duce in Arancione

 

[rgwebb]

that was never going to go anywhere ... confidential information is confidential for a reason.

The leaks in this case were related to pay equity not trade secrets.

 

[Lone Deranger]

 

[NervousFish2]

No, it was a losing case. Reminding employees not to leak trade secrets and product plans is perfectly normal and claiming it’s some kind of microaggression or some such is stupid.

They were not claiming it was a "microaggression"

 

[NervousFish2]

that was never going to go anywhere ... confidential information is confidential for a reason.

Who decides what's confidential? The giant corporations or the workers that generate their massive profits?

 

[makeitrainnaren]

This is a slippery slope. Regardless of your feelings, investigative journalism depends on sources that can remain anonymous. Apple is also known for ridiculous NDA’s. By lumping product leaks with important discussions about pay equity and other internal complaints, even for a private company, Apple is chilling speech and dissent.

For example, The intercept reported about how Apple was donation matching sketchy charities that were funding weapons for war crimes in the Middle East.

Even if you hate EU DMA, we wouldn’t know half the stuff about apple’s anti competitive practices because of the Fortnite emails that were leaked.

Even in the USA, apple has arguably made some pro consumer moves lately (USB C, repair manuals), because of the pressure.

 

[ZipZilla]

I've worked in corporate under NDA's. You leak, you're fired. Basic contract law. All these leaks today? Steve Jobs ruled with an iron fist and would have terminated them all, as should be done.

 

[Boeingfan]

Just look at Tim's happy little face

 

[rgwebb]

I've worked in corporate under NDA's. You leak, you're fired. Basic contract law. All these leaks today? Steve Jobs ruled with an iron fist and would have terminated them all, as should be done.

Sometimes corporations try to enforce confidentiality on matters that are illegal for them to do. Preventing employees from discussing pay amongst themselves is one of those situations. Perhaps the details on this are more nuanced but it is definitely coming into that area.

 

[wigby]

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is no longer targeting Apple for a 2021 email that Apple CEO Tim Cook sent to employees, reports Bloomberg. The NLRB said that it is withdrawing most of the claims in a complaint that accused Cook of violating U.S. labor law by warning employees about leaking confidential information.

Cook sent the email in 2021, stating that Apple was working to identify people who had leaked information, and that such people do not belong at Apple. Cook's email followed a leaked Apple meeting that included topics like pay equity and working from home.

The NLRB said that Apple's rules around leaks "tend to interfere with, restrain or coerce employees" from the exercise of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

Claims that Apple broke the law by imposing confidentiality rules and surveilling workers are being withdrawn.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: NLRB Withdraws Claims That Tim Cook's Anti-Leak Email Violated Labor Laws

Old media, new media, political opponents and even labor unions are all under attack by the current administration. Lucky for Apple they paid their tithings to the king. The timing of this is not surprising.

 

[JosephAW]

If you’re an employee, stop shooting your company in the foot 🦶

 

[antiprotest]

Tim Cook's face of disapproval when an exec advised him to invest in AI 10 years ago, or when someone showed him a good hardware or software design.

 

[jz0309]

The leaks in this case were related to pay equity not trade secrets.

and pay equity is not confidential? this is about confidential, not trade secrets.
when you sign a contract with any tech company (and I'm sure others) you sign that you do not share confidential information outside your work, simple as that.