The U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has unexpectedly paused two legal cases against Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) shortly after President Donald Trump nominated Crystal Carey—a lawyer previously representing Apple—as the agency’s general counsel, according to the Financial Times.
The NLRB had filed complaints last year accusing Apple of unlawfully interfering with employee unionization efforts. The cases involved former employees Janneke Parrish and Cher Scarlett, central figures in the 2021 #AppleToo movement, which highlighted workplace issues such as wage inequality and harassment.
Despite prior rulings favoring the former employees, the NLRB withdrew from the cases just days after Trump’s nomination of Carey. As a partner at Morgan Lewis & Bockius, Carey has been documented as representing Apple in these disputes, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest.
Hearings initially scheduled for April and June have now been indefinitely delayed pending further legal review. The abrupt move has sparked criticism from labor advocates who argue that nominating a corporate lawyer with direct ties to ongoing cases undermines the NLRB’s independence and workers’ rights.
Trump’s nomination of Carey is viewed as part of a broader strategy to reshape federal agencies, including those meant to protect labor rights. Critics warn that such appointments may compromise the impartiality of legal processes involving major corporations like Apple.
The pause in legal proceedings comes at a crucial time for labor activism within the tech industry, where organizing efforts have gained momentum. The outcome of these cases may set a precedent for how similar claims are handled in the future, especially amid ongoing scrutiny of Big Tech labor practices.
This development continues to draw attention as labor groups and tech employees watch closely for potential shifts in the agency’s direction.


Democratic Attorneys General Sue Trump Administration Over CDC Childhood Vaccine Schedule Changes
USMCA Reaffirmed as Canada and Mexico Push Back Against U.S. Bilateral Trade Signals
Estée Lauder Sues Jo Malone Over Trademark Dispute Involving Zara
Iran's Government Remains Stable Despite U.S. and Israeli Strikes, Intelligence Shows
Iran-Israel War Sparks Global Oil Crisis as Tankers Burn in Gulf Waters
Mexico's Electoral Reform Bill Fails in Congress as Coalition Fractures
Supreme Court Backs GOP Lawmaker in New York Redistricting Fight Ahead of Midterms
Khamenei Vows to Keep Hormuz Shut as Netanyahu Issues Veiled Death Threat
ByteDance Expands AI Cloud Infrastructure Using NVIDIA Blackwell Chips in Southeast Asia
Anthropic Sues Pentagon Over AI Blacklist, Citing Free Speech Violations
Federal Judge Blocks Virginia Social Media Age Verification Law Over First Amendment Concerns
Big Tech Turns to Debt Markets to Fund AI Infrastructure Boom
USTR Launches New Section 301 Trade Investigations After Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
Pokemon Pokopia Sells 2.2 Million Copies in Four Days, Boosting Nintendo Switch 2 Momentum
China Escalates BHP Iron Ore Ban Amid Contract Dispute 



