Mediation talks conducted by a US federal agency between Cisco and a group of its employees regarding complaints of discrimination against pro-Palestine workers have failed. Middle East Eye reports that the technology firm was accused of non-cooperation in the process.
These negotiations were organized by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a federal body that investigates employee discrimination claims. The investigation began after a complaint from the Bridge to Humanity (B2H) group—a collective of Cisco employees formed to voice concerns about the company's ties to Israeli military forces.
In a letter in June, the head of the local EEOC office in San Jose notified Cisco and B2H attorneys that there were sufficient grounds to believe the company subjected some Muslim and Middle Eastern employees to a 'hostile work environment,' and proposed mediation sessions between the parties.
Cisco stated that it disagreed with the EEOC's findings and is 'committed to creating a respectful and inclusive work environment.' An EEOC representative offered a voluntary and confidential mediation process aimed at informally resolving labor disputes after the investigation concluded.
The discussions, scheduled for an online platform in August, fell through before any negotiations even began. According to MEE, an EEOC representative informed B2H representatives and their lawyers that Cisco was not participating in the process.
'Today CISCO did not come to the conversation in good faith,' stated the investigator, according to sources present at the meeting who spoke with MEE. 'I cannot allow the conversations to continue.'
Christopher Ho, director of legal aid programs and an attorney representing B2H, called the sudden termination of the mediation process a 'surprise' for his clients. He told MEE that they had participated in the mediation for three hours, with minimal communication from Cisco. At that point, the EEOC representative entered their virtual room and stated that Cisco would not respond to the EEOC's offer, thus causing the EEOC to 'fail' the mediation, meaning to terminate it. Ho emphasized that this was unexpected, as they had not even exchanged settlement offers with Cisco.
Despite the failure of the mediation, Ho noted the unprecedented nature of the EEOC's intervention, highlighting the significance of the case where 'a group of tech employees who collectively organized for such accountability faced persecution or other unlawful treatment for their speech, and were subsequently vindicated by a federal agency.'
Cisco did not comment on the accusation of unwillingness to participate in the mediation talks. A company representative stated that the organization is 'committed to creating a respectful and inclusive work environment where every employee is treated fairly and with dignity, and we take any concerns about discrimination or harassment seriously.' The representative added that, 'We disagree with the conclusions of the district EEOC office. In line with our commitment to being an equal opportunity employer, Cisco has thoroughly investigated all concerns and taken appropriate action.' He also noted, 'As stewards of our corporate culture, we are open to feedback and strive to evolve thoughtfully amid a complex global landscape.'
The EEOC did not respond to requests for comment, and what will happen next remains unclear. B2H and its lawyers declined to comment on the prospects of further action.