Fired co-leader of #AppleToo worker activist group to file federal complaints

(MENAFN- BreezyScroll)

Apple has fired one of two well-known leaders of an employee activist group. Janneke Parrish is an Apple Maps program manager in Austin, Texas. She says they fired her on Thursday. She is one of the co-founders of an employee group that launched a #AppleToo website this summer. Then, she began publishing stories about harassment and discrimination by past and present Apple employees on Medium.

“I believe that it is retaliation. One does not casually speak out publicly against Apple and expect that to go ignored,” Parrish told USA TODAY. Her firing was first reported in an interview with The Verge.

According to Parrish and Cher Scarlett, another Apple employee who helped form the organization, more than 500 people have come out regarding workplace difficulties. The New York Times also confirmed Parrish’s termination.

Apple’s internal inquiry began last month, according to Parrish. Audio of an all-staff meeting with CEO Tim Cook was leaked to The Verge and The New York Times. According to Parrish, the firm accused her of leaking the stream. She was on leave on Oct. 8, according to her. On Oct. 14, Parrish said they removed her for removing files from corporate devices she had handed in.

“I think when I came under investigation that was a pretext to find something that they could use to fire me,” Parrish said. “Prior to turning in my devices, though, I did remove some of my personal data from these devices, because well, my private conversations … those are not Apple’s business. And similarly, my financial information on apps like Robinhood is not Apple’s business. Because I deleted files from my devices before turning them in, that is the reason that was given for why I was terminated.”

In response to a query about Parrish’s firing, Apple sent a statement to USA TODAY. “We are and have always been deeply committed to creating and maintaining a positive and inclusive workplace. We take all concerns seriously and we thoroughly investigate whenever a concern is raised and; out of respect for the privacy of any individuals involved, we do not discuss specific employee matters.”

This isn’t the first time Apple has been the subject of employee complaints. Parrish’s comments surfaced in a Washington Post report about Scarlett. She is on medical leave from the company, just before she got fired. The Washington Post also confirmed Parrish’s dismissal.

Scarlett said in the narrative she tried to find out if there was a salary discrepancy among Apple employees around the country. Then, it enraged some of her coworkers. She said that other employees used the company’s internal Slack channel to accuse her of leaking secret material to reporters. But she denied this to the Post.

Apple said they fired senior engineering program manager for breaking standards. Such as not complying with the investigation and disclosing proprietary product information, according to documents Gjvik provided with Bloomberg. Gjovik claimed they fired her as a result of raising concerns about working conditions with the government and the press, as well as coordinating with coworkers.

Employee outrage at Apple’s hire of Antonio Garca Martnez, a former Facebook product manager and author of the book “Chaos Monkeys,” in May 2021 sparked the #AppleToo movement.

A letter signed by more than 2,000 employees and forwarded to Apple management, expressed concerns about “misogynistic statements in his autobiography – such as 'Most women in the Bay Area are soft and weak, cosseted and naïve despite their claims of worldliness, and generally full of shit,” The Verge reported  at the time.

“That was a moment where we realized that employee activism could make a difference, that our voices in solidarity with each other could have a positive impact on our work at Apple,” Parrish said. But issues of remote work advocacy – including employees’ ability to advance if not at Apple’s Cupertino, California headquarters – and pay equity “did not get a positive response from leadership,” she said.

Parrish intends to file complaints in federal court. Also, maybe with federal agencies, according to Vincent White of White, Hilferty, and Albanese in New York City. “It is clear that Apple has forgotten. No matter how wealthy your company is, the government can still slap you around when you openly defy its laws,” he said.

Parrish posted on Twitter Friday that “There are consequences for speaking out. There are consequences for doing the right thing. But we do the right thing because it is the right thing to do. #AppleToo is about asking Apple to do better, to end systemic discrimination, abuse, and pay inequity.”