A local group plans to hold a protest on Monday near Apple’s Cupertino headquarters to voice their concerns about the tech giant’s policies toward construction workers with prior felony convictions.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – JUNE 08: Apple CEO Tim Cook delivers the keynote address during Apple WWDC on June 8, 2015 in San Francisco, California. Apple annouced a new OS X, El Capitan, and a new iOS during the keynote at the annual developers conference that runs through June 12. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Earlier this year, construction workers with prior felony convictions within the last seven years were barred from from working on Apple’s new campus. After The Chronicle reported on the issue, Apple said it had changed its policy for its contractors to now evaluate those workers on a “case by case basis,” but has declined to elaborate on specific evaluation guidelines.
Souljahs, a Pittsburg, Calif.-based group that identifies with “helping oppressed people everywhere,” estimates there will be at least 75 people at its protest on Monday. The group plans to gather at the corner of Mariani Avenue and Infinite Loop in Cupertino, and hand Apple a demand letter.
Souljahs wants Apple to not factor in criminal convictions in its hiring process for construction workers at its new campus. If Apple doesn’t address this, Souljahs said it will call for a nationwide boycott of Apple products. The protest will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., according to the protest’s website.
Souljahs’ Gregory Osorio said Apple presents itself as a progressive organization, citing CEO Tim Cook’s concern about an Indiana law that some believed could be used to discriminate against the gay, bisexual and transgender community. It was later rejected. How Apple is treating people with past felony convictions is also discriminatory, Osorio said.
“They are practicing it right in their own backyard,” he added.
Apple did not return a request for comment.
