Apple is closing its Towson, Maryland location by June, and the workers there are convinced the company is deliberately destroying their union as punishment for organizing.
Nearly 90 employees at that store voted to unionize in June 2022, becoming the first Apple retail location in the country to do so. After months of contentious negotiations, they secured their first union contract in August 2024. Now, less than a year later, the store is being shuttered.
On Monday, the union representing the workers filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing Apple of retaliatory discrimination. The filing contends that unionized employees are being denied the same transfer rights and job protections that Apple is offering workers at non-unionized stores.
"This is a cynical attempt to bust the union," the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said in a statement. Apple denies the charge and insists it will honor the negotiated agreement. "We strongly disagree with the claims made, and we will continue to abide by the agreement that was negotiated and agreed with the union," an Apple spokesperson said.
Eric Brown, an employee at the Towson store, said the closure feels like retaliation for standing up for workers' rights. "It feels like a betrayal," he said at a press conference. "Financially, we were doing fine. Foot traffic, we're doing fine. So there's no other reason to shut us down then to basically bust up the union."
Brown noted that union negotiators had specifically anticipated this tactic. They built into the contract a provision that if Apple opened a new store within 50 miles of Towson, employees would be entitled to transfer there rather than lose their jobs.
Apple's explanation centers on declining conditions at Towson Town Center and two other malls where the company operates. The company says the affected employees can apply for positions at nearby stores but must do so through the standard application process rather than automatic transfer.
The union is pushing back hard. Brian Bryant, international president of the machinists union, framed the dispute in stark terms: "Apple is denying union-represented workers the same opportunities it is giving to others and doing so because these workers chose to organize. That is discrimination, and it is exactly what federal labor law is designed to prevent."
Courtney Jenkins, president of the Metropolitan Baltimore AFL-CIO, underscored what the closure means for the community. The Towson store is the only Apple location in the area accessible by public transit. "This isn't just about jobs," Jenkins said. "It's about equity, it's about access, and it's about whether one of the wealthiest corporations in human history is willing to turn this back on both."
The broader context matters here. Apple has a documented history with labor law violations. The company has settled multiple unfair labor practice charges with the NLRB and has actively opposed unionization efforts at its retail locations. Workers at Towson faced significant delays in bargaining for their first contract, suggesting Apple was not eager to cooperate with the union even after the vote.
Brown's personal stake in the outcome is real. He met his partner at the store and is expecting their first child next month. For many of his coworkers, the Towson location wasn't just work space, it was community. "This job is more than a job," he said. "This is a family to us."
Author James Rodriguez: "Apple's playbook here is transparent: unionize, and the store becomes a liability worth closing. The real test is whether the labor board sees it the same way."
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