T-Mobile parent company faces pressure from investors over anti-worker policies

Deutsche Telekom, the German company that owns T-Mobile, faces increasing pressure over T-Mobile’s anti-worker practices. Reutersreports that German lawmakers and company investors – including pension fund manager APG Asset Management and the fourth-largest shareholder Norges Bank Investment Management – are calling on Deutsche Telekom to ensure that T-Mobile respects workers’ rights:

Two major investors in Deutsche Telekom have expressed concern to the company about the treatment of T-Mobile employees, according to sources. Lawmakers in Washington and Berlin have, meanwhile, called on the German government - which controls 30 percent of Deutsche Telekom - to put pressure on the company to ensure its U.S. business respects workers' rights.

These are the latest examples – and the closest to home – of political and business leaders demanding Deutsche Telekom hold its subsidiary accountable. A group of 20 American lawmakers sent aletter to Deutsche Telekom asking the German company to address T-Mobile’s repeated labor law violations. After that, a separate group of 25 congresswomen sent aletter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressing concern over T-Mobile policies that unlawfully silence employees by requiring them to sign non-disclosure agreements.

Deutsche Telekom under scrutiny over conditions at U.S. arm T-Mobile (Reuters, Jan. 7, 2015)

Lawmakers seek accountability for T-Mobile’s repeated labor law violations (Speed Matters, Aug. 9, 2015)

25 congresswomen call on German Chancellor to protect T-Mobile workers from sexual harassment (Speed Matters, Nov. 29, 2015)