Apple to Close First Unionized U.S. Retail Store; Union Blasts Decision

Apple is closing its retail location in Towson, Maryland, which is the first of its stores in the United States to successfully unionize back in fall of 2024.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), which represents the store’s employees, has expressed outrage over the move, calling it a deliberate attempt to undermine organized labour.

The union claims that Apple’s decision to shut down the location is a “cynical attempt to bust the union,” it explained in an emailed statement to iPhone in Canada on Thursday.

While Apple reportedly suggested that the current collective bargaining agreement prevents the store from simply being relocated, the IAM has flatly denied this, calling the company’s justification false.

The closure comes less than two years after the Towson employees made history. In June 2022, the roughly 85 workers at the site became the first Apple retail team in the country to unionize. After nearly 18 months of intense negotiations and a strike authorization vote, they finally ratified a historic three-year contract in August 2024.

That agreement was celebrated at the time for securing better pay, improved work-life balance, and stronger job security. With the store now slated for closure, those hard-won protections are in jeopardy.

Beyond the loss of jobs, the union highlighted that the Towson store serves as a vital hub for the local community due to its unique location near public transit. The IAM is now exploring all legal options and working with government officials to hold Apple accountable for the closure.

Apple has not yet provided a specific timeline for when the doors will close for good or what will happen to the employees covered under the landmark contract.