FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 23, 2011

FAILURES OF THE WORLD'S MOST VALUABLE COMPANY

Press Conference & Rally at Apple Retail Store in Palo Alto , CA - Noon, August 27th 

Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, Inc., Contracts With Vendors
That Openly Discriminate Against American Workers

PALO ALTO, CA - On August 27, 2011 the Black Economic Council will hold a press conference and lead a community rally at the Apple Retail Store located at 451 University Avenue in Palo Alto , CA from 12:00-1:00 p.m. to address the release of EEO data, review of Apple's EEO policy, and to review its labor vendors for adherence to the EEO policy.

The future of jobs for America 's youth is at stake and it is time that corporate discrimination against Americans is challenged. Although Apple is a global leader they have failed to address the need to put Americans back to work. Apple has a poor track record of employing American workers, contracting with vendors that employ American workers and contracting with American diverse small businesses.

Len Canty, Chair of the Black Economic Council stated, "The practices of Apple are counter to those of President Obama who is encouraging job creation in America . The actions of Apple violate antitrust provisions and Apple may now be 'too big to break up or regulate' as it gobbles up competitors with its $65 billion cash hoard."

Canty issued this challenge to Jobs, "Steve, you have been a strong record setting leader in delivering innovative products and services. It is time for you to step up to the plate and demonstrate the same level of leadership to help revitalize the American economy by hiring Americans, doing business with suppliers who hire Americans and put a stop to discriminatory hiring and vendor supplier practices."

Apple has continued to contract with companies that blatantly advertise for positions that openly state non-US citizens "OPT/F1 are welcome" in job postings in online job boards.

Microsoft's Bill Gates decided to create the world's largest foundation for the underserved and others such as Buffet have followed suit. The Black Economic Council urges Steve Jobs to continue demonstrating strong leadership as an example to Silicon Valley corporations, like Microsoft did 13 years ago, by investing in America .

Why Focus on Apple? Apple surpassed Exxon Mobile Corporations becoming the largest company as measured by market capitalization on Tuesday August 9, 2011. Apple has established itself as the largest technology firm in the United State in terms of market capital and profits. Americans love Apple products, want to work at Apple and establish business relationships with Apple to assist in Apple's mission to deliver quality and services. Americans buy Apple product to support second quarter 2011 revenue earning of $123 billion.  Apple CEO Steve Jobs said, "With quarterly revenue growth of 83% and profit growth of 95%, we're firing on all cylinders. We will continue to innovate on all fronts throughout the remainder of the year."

We are looking to Congress to enact reform for guest worker programs that discriminate against American talent, move our jobs abroad, force us to train our foreign replacements, and traffic unemployed Indian tech workers. We will continue to publicize these issues until Steve Jobs takes action.

It's time to play fair. We've got an over abundance of experienced tech professionals and an oversupply of new science & technology graduates whom we have paid dearly to educate.

The Apple Store is located in the University Avenue shopping district, at 451 University in Palo Alto, at the cross street of Kipling, across the street from Varsity Borders. On public transit, the closest CalTrain stop is the Palo Alto station.

JOIN us at noon August 27th to show your support for American workers and to let Apple know that we are paying attention to their hiring practices and effect on our economy. #Economics, #Justice, # Silicon Valley

About the Black Economic Council (BEC)

The Black Economic Council is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization created to provide Black Americans an economic platform that facilitates business formation, job creation, access to capital, home ownership, affordable housing, financial fitness and equal opportunity for employment in the workforce. The mission of the BEC is to promote the self-sufficiency of Black-American communities through structured economic development. www.BlackEconomicCouncil.org

CONTACT

Yolanda Lewis 

(866) 856-4570  

lencanty@blackeconomiccouncil.org

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"If there is no struggle, there is no progress.  Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing the ground.  They want rain without thunder and lightning.  They want the ocean without the awful roar of its waters.  Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will."