Lawmakers seek accountability for T-Mobile?s repeated labor law violations

A group of twenty lawmakers sent a letter to the CEO of T-Mobile’s parent company, Deutsche Telekom, asking the German company to address T-Mobile’s repeated labor law violations.

Back in March, a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) administrative law judge (ALJ) cited T-Mobile for 11 nationwide violations of labor law and workers’ rights by blocking employees from talking to one another about problems at work. The company was ordered to address these policies, but has not yet taken action.

In their letter to the Deutsche Telekom CEO, the lawmakers stated: “We are writing to you to express our continued concern about the record of Deutsche Telekom’s subsidiary, T-Mobile, in its treatment of its U.S. workforce.” The members of Congress asked the German company if it had reviewed the NLRB’s March finding and if it had a process for dealing with labor violations in overseas subsidiaries.

“Indeed, since that ALJ ruling, at least four additional complaints have been filed with the NLRB regarding T-Mobile," the letter continued.

The letter comes as the NLRB found T-Mobile guilty of additional labor law violations in South Carolina and Maine. The Communications Workers of America released astatement detailing T-Mobile’s continued law-breaking:

Nearly five months ago, an administrative law judge at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found T-Mobile US guilty of multiple violations of US labor law. Yet, instead of rectifying its illegal corporate policies, the company continues to break the law.

On Monday, another ALJ found that T-Mobile illegally prohibits its employees from discussing the terms and conditions of employment with their co-workers and others. At locations in at least South Carolina and Maine, the company had been requiring employees to sign a confidentiality agreement whenever it conducted an internal investigation.

This practice was exposed as particularly egregious in Maine, where a customer service representative filed a sexual harassment complaint with the human resources department. T-Mobile forced her to sign the form and agree not to discuss the complaint with anyone. The employee was told explicitly that if she discussed the situation with her co-workers she could face discipline and termination.

Letter from members of Congress to Tim Hoettges, CEO of Deutsche Telekom (July 31, 2015)

Dems press T-Mobile on labor issues (The Hill, Aug. 3, 2015)

NLRB Judge Finds T-Mobile US Guilty of More Labor Law Violations (CWA, Aug. 4, 2015)