T-Mobile Found Guilty of Illegal Policies

“Now that we have a union [at our MetroPCS store] we aren’t scared to talk about our working conditions at work. But now that the judge has found T-Mobile guilty of preventing workers from talking about their working conditions, I am hopeful that my colleagues across the country will realize that the law protects their rights to discuss the benefits of joining together into a union.”

- Adrian Dominguez,

MetroPCS-T-Mobile US retail worker

New York, NY

A judge at the National Labor Relations Board just found T-Mobile US guilty of engaging in nationwide labor law violations, effectively shutting down workers’ rights to talk to each other. The ruling comes following a rare move by the NLRB, consolidating multiple complaints against T-Mobile US for illegal actions and policies in Albuquerque, NM; Wichita, KS; Charleston, SC, and New York City.

T-Mobile has created a workplace culture of fear to stop workers from sticking together for change at work. But because of the efforts of TU-CWA members who stood up and spoke out, the company will have to change.

The NLRB ordered T-Mobile to:

• Stop restricting employee speech.

• Get rid of rules that stop whistleblowers from speaking out.

• Allow employees to talk about terms and conditions of employment.

• Allow employees to talk about company rules with non-employees.

Now, there is no question that T-Mobile workers are allowed to talk about issues that matter to them at work like pay, working conditions, scheduling, metrics, and discipline. We expect the company will have to make changes, and workers will be able to stand up and fight for a stronger voice and respect.

On the heels of this decision, T-Mobile is facing two additional hearings for unfair labor practices for violating workers’ rights to organize for a better life. Two complaints involving the restriction of employee speech in South Carolina and Maine will be resolved in one hearing in Charleston. The second hearing will be in Hartford and will deal with the company ignoring a collective bargaining agreement in Connecticut.