Apple has announced the closure of its store in Towson, Maryland, the first Apple store in the US to unionise, by June. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from workers and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), which represents nearly 90 employees at the location.
The union filed an unfair labour practice charge against Apple on Monday, alleging that unionised employees are being denied transfer rights afforded to workers at non-unionised stores. The union claims this amounts to retaliation for unionising. Apple has denied the allegations, stating it will present facts to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Brian Bryant, international president of the IAM, said: “Apple is denying union-represented workers the same opportunities it is giving to others – and doing so because these workers chose to organise. That is discrimination, and it is exactly what federal labor law is designed to prevent.”
Workers at the store won their union election in June 2022 and reached a first contract in August 2024. Employee Eric Brown, who met his partner at the store, described the closure as a betrayal: “There’s no other reason to shut us down than to basically bust up the union.”
Courtney Jenkins, president of the Metropolitan Baltimore AFL-CIO, highlighted the store’s accessibility via public transit, calling the closure an issue of equity and access. The union is urging Apple to reverse the decision and is calling on customers to support their campaign for relocation rather than resignation.
