Apple CEO Tim Cook shows support for pending U.S. nondiscrimination act
In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece on Sunday, Apple chief Tim Cook expounded on the merits of equality in the workplace and urged U.S. senators to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) which is once again up for vote on Monday.
Cook was short and to the point in his commentary, describing how Apple, one of the largest and arguably most creative tech forces in the world, deals with nondiscrimination in the workplace.
ENDA, which has close ties to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, targets discrimination in hiring and employment based on gender identity or sexual orientation. President Barack Obama has made clear that he supports the bill and in a Sunday Huffington Post entry, promised to sign the act into law once Congress passes it.
The Senate is scheduled to hold a cloture vote on ENDA this Monday night. Passage of the bill could come down to one senator as the number of sitting Democrats and those Republicans who pledged support currently stands at 59, just one vote shy of the 60 needed to defeat a likely Republican filibuster. The last time ENDA was up for Senate vote in 1996, it was defeated 49-50.
If ENDA does make it past the Senate, it will land in the House of Representatives. At that point, there is even less of a guarantee of success, as House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) may not bring the legislation up for vote in the Republican-controlled chambers.
Cook was short and to the point in his commentary, describing how Apple, one of the largest and arguably most creative tech forces in the world, deals with nondiscrimination in the workplace.
Pointedly, he noted that Apple's own corporate policy offers more protection than that of the U.S. government, as the company does not discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees. Proponents of ENDA are looking to make the same protections available nationwide.As we see it, embracing people's individuality is a matter of basic human dignity and civil rights. It also turns out to be great for the creativity that drives our business. We've found that when people feel valued for who they are, they have the comfort and confidence to do the best work of their lives.
ENDA, which has close ties to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, targets discrimination in hiring and employment based on gender identity or sexual orientation. President Barack Obama has made clear that he supports the bill and in a Sunday Huffington Post entry, promised to sign the act into law once Congress passes it.
The Senate is scheduled to hold a cloture vote on ENDA this Monday night. Passage of the bill could come down to one senator as the number of sitting Democrats and those Republicans who pledged support currently stands at 59, just one vote shy of the 60 needed to defeat a likely Republican filibuster. The last time ENDA was up for Senate vote in 1996, it was defeated 49-50.
If ENDA does make it past the Senate, it will land in the House of Representatives. At that point, there is even less of a guarantee of success, as House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) may not bring the legislation up for vote in the Republican-controlled chambers.
Comments
Who cares if he is gay or not.His thoughts are positive at least.
Article fails to mention cook is gay
I guess it could have mentioned this point. Besides, the fact that a gay person can lead a corporation like Apple illustrates the merit of ENDA.
he is only sticking up for his own inner circle, meanwhile the people who do the hiring continue to discriminate against people who are overweight. overweight guy= bad, guy wearing women's clothes with penis removed = good
If he wants to talk big-picture stuff, I'd rather hear him talk about the industry or some such thing.
As CEO of a major USA employer, it is entirely appropriate that Tim Cook expresses an opinion on the Bill and to compare his company's enacted policies on equal opportunity employment.
In contrast, the puerile undercurrent of homophobia on Apple forums like this one, and much more so on MDN and MacRumors, is inappropriate and deeply disappointing. You'd think Mac/Apple users might have a bit more class than "overweight guy= bad, guy wearing women's clothes with penis removed = good". (Forgot the /s tag, moron)
Not sure why Cook needs to inject himself into this (just as I was puzzled by his unnecessary 'tax' appearance at the Senate).
If he wants to talk big-picture stuff, I'd rather hear him talk about the industry or some such thing.
Why shouldn't he talk about social change? It's obviously an issue that he cares deeply about.
If you'd rather hear him talk about Apple or the wider technology industry then there's plenty of interviews out there for you to read.
I agree that there's an undercurrent of homophobia (I believe it was T-phobia in his case), although it is by no means universal. There are always a couple of people like that anywhere, and it's best to not pay them much attention.
That said, I am quite surprised that you so casually diss the issue of someone being overweight. Substantial amount of empirical research shows that there is discrimination against overweight, short, and not-so-nice-looking people that rivals the discrimination on grounds of race, gender, and sexual orientation.
And, calling someone a 'moron' doesn't elevate the quality of discourse either.
On a deeper point, I believe that CEOs and corporations should stay as far away from public policy and social policy issues as possible (unless, of course, they're dragged into it and have no choice but to take a position).
I've read his interviews. Thanks. Pretty vacuous on industry insights there. (Perhaps you can tell me if I've missed something?).
Regarding CEOs commenting on social issues, would you be so sanguine if the issue he was commenting on was about, say, the greatness of the Tea Party or he was for the government shutdown?
It's appropriate to distrust the "top tier companies" because being on top often is helped by being unscrupulous. But it's good to see a company not ripping people off and being a good citizen without doing it for the PR. Few people are even aware that they've been at the forefront for pushing higher wages and better working conditions in places like China. Few people know that they cancelled their membership at the US Chamber of Commerce when it works against their own "selfish" self-interests. Nor do people even know why that's a GOOD THING to get out of that den of thieves.
I don't see them lining up with some major corporations and bribing or pushing hidden agendas like ALEC.
In short; while no company may be perfect, Apple is decidedly on the "not evil" list I keep. Tim Cook is clearly in the "visionary" camp and not the "steal and lawyer up" camp.
your comment is ignorant and myopic, even for a first try.
my edit: (did someone edit my comment? my original comment said "dear troll ... your comment is ignorant and myopic, even for a first try." the "dear troll ..." has since been removed, and not by me. what gives?)
The relevance of which is ...?
I support equal rights as would anyone with a non brainwashed mind.
Errrrr! Maybe I should correct that. I can't recall even one woman in an on-stage role at Apple. Here's what Business Insider (2012) says: "There are no women in Apple's elite executive team and only one woman currently sits on the company's board of directors."
Given that the Apple's board includes people as flaky as Al Gore, it can't be that no woman has come up to the high standards required. Politics got Gore there. Politics can make the board 50/50 male/female.
Come on Apple, walk the talk or stop telling the Senate or anyone else what to do. Why support new laws when the company is not even following laws that are decades old?
Come off it. No, really.
MacWorld 2005.
No, of course not¡
Yeah, let’s let politics run Apple!¡
Prove Apple is not following any law. What is wrong with you? If someone can do the job, Apple would promote her. If not, they wouldn’t. It’s just that simple. It’s a company, not a love-in.
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2013/10/15Angela-Ahrendts-to-Join-Apple-as-Senior-Vice-President-of-Retail-and-Online-Stores.html