Apple announced it will permanently close three U.S. retail stores in June, including the Towson Town Center location in Maryland, which has a unionized workforce—the first for the company in the U.S. Employees at Towson, who unionized in 2022, belong to the IAM CORE union, which secured a collective bargaining agreement with Apple in 2024. The other two closures are at Apple Trumbull, CT, and Apple North County, CA.
Apple stated the closures were due to “deteriorating conditions” in the shopping malls where the stores are located. Employees from the Trumbull and North County stores will transition to nearby locations, while Towson employees can apply for other positions within the company, though it’s uncertain how many will secure new roles.
The IAM union expressed outrage over the Towson closure, raising concerns about potential union-busting. They argue that Apple’s claim regarding the collective bargaining agreement is misleading and are exploring legal options to address the situation. The Towson store is set to close on June 20, and Apple currently has no plans to open new stores in the vicinity, although if any are established within 18 months, affected employees would have the right of first refusal for jobs.
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