- Apple closes three retail stores, sparking union dispute at Towson.
- Non-union staff offered transfers; unionized Towson workers denied equivalent offers.
- Union claims Apple’s contract requires equal treatment for all employees.
Apple is shutting down three of its retail stores this month, and while two of the closures have gone relatively quietly, the third has become a flashpoint over workers’ rights. The Towson Town Centre location in Maryland is at the centre of a growing dispute between Apple and a union representing its employees, with accusations of unequal treatment and potential union-busting.
Some Maryland lawmakers have also stepped in to voice their support for the workers involved.
Which Apple Stores Are Closing And Why?
The three stores shutting down are Apple Trumbull in Trumbull, Connecticut; Apple North County in Escondido, California; and Apple Towson Town Centre in Towson, Maryland.
In April, Apple said it made the “difficult decision” to close the stores due to “declining conditions” at the shopping malls where they are located.
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Employees at the Trumbull and North County locations have been offered transfers to nearby stores. However, unionised workers at Towson have not received the same offer, and that difference in treatment is at the heart of the controversy.
Why Are Workers At The Towson Store Calling It Union Busting?
The Towson Town Centre store made history in 2022 when its staff became the first Apple retail employees in the United States to unionise. They are represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Coalition of Organised Retail Employees (IAM CORE) and signed a collective bargaining agreement with Apple in 2024.
Apple says it is honouring the terms of that agreement. According to the company, the contract states that transfers apply only if a new store opens within 50 miles of Towson. Since no such plans exist, Apple says the agreement entitles workers to severance instead.
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IAM disagrees, saying the agreement “requires equal treatment.” IAM President Brian Bryant put it plainly: “Apple workers in Towson voted to join the IAM, fought for and won a contract, and are now being punished for it. Apple signed a collective bargaining agreement that requires equal treatment. It is time for Apple to honour that agreement and do right by these workers before June 20.”
