Following Apple’s decision to close its first ever unionized store, the International Association of Engineers and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board. Earlier this month, Apple announced its decision to close three stores: Apple Towson Town Center in Towson, MD, Apple North County in Escondido, CA, and Apple Trumbull in Trumbull, CT.
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In all cases, the company cited deteriorating conditions and the departure of other retailers from the shopping centers where the stores are located as reasons. The decision to close Apple's Towson Town Center quickly drew attention, as it was the first Apple retail store in the U.S. to be unionized.
Apple said employees at the Trumbull and North County stores would be able to continue their roles at nearby locations, while Towson employees would be “eligible to apply for open positions at Apple in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement.” The IAM Union expressed concerns that the closure was a “cynical attempt to dismantle the union” and said it would consider “all legal options and work with elected officials and allies to hold Apple accountable.”
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The IAM Union eventually filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing Apple of discriminating against Towson workers by refusing to allow them to transfer to other locations.
On April 9, 2026, Apple announced the closure of its store located in Towson Town Center. Since that date, it has denied Towson employees, who are represented by the IAM, the opportunity to transfer and access other benefits provided to unrepresented employees affected by store closures in other locations.
The IAM Union alleges that these actions are retaliatory and discriminatory against employees represented by the IAM with respect to their terms and conditions of employment, designed to discourage them from exercising their rights under the Act. In addition to the complaint, the IAM Union held a press conference, reiterating its call for Apple to “change course and treat the Towson employees fairly.”
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IAM Union International President Brian Bryantsaid: “This is about whether workers are treated fairly under the law or punished for exercising their rights. Apple is denying union-represented workers the same opportunities it gives others — and it’s doing so because those workers chose to organize. This is discrimination, and it’s exactly what federal labor law is designed to prevent.”
