Apple has been accused of unlawful discrimination by union workers following its decision to close the first of its stores to unionize in the US. Just earlier this month, Apple revealed that it was all set to close its Townson Apple store, which was the first of its stores to unionize in the US back in 2022. The tech giant is also expected to shut down two other stores in Connecticut and California, but outrage has centered around the Towson operation, with Apple refusing to offer unionized workers automatic relocation assistance to nearby stores.
While Apple cited union contract restrictions for this reluctance, the union argued that there is nothing in the contract that prevents Apple from being relocated. With union workers protesting this decision, we’ll have to wait to see how Apple responds to the NLRB filing.
Union workers from Apple’s first unionized store in the US have accused the employer of unfair labor practices in a new NLRB filing. (Image: Pexels)
Apple Accused of Unlawful Discrimination Against Union Workers in a New NLRB Filing
Returning to the facts of the case, Apple has decided to close some of its stores, including the Towson store, Apple’s first unionized retail location in the United States, where workers are represented by the IAM Union. Apple’s decision to close the unionized store is controversial on its own, but employees at the location have not been offered the same support as those at the two other stores being closed.
Employees at non-union Apple stores have been granted transfer opportunities to help them find a position at nearby Apple stores, ensuring their continued employment. The Towson workers are not afforded the same benefits, but instead have to reapply for other positions if they are interested in working for Apple, just as a new external candidate might have to apply for the role.
The IAM Union representing Apple employees in Towson, Maryland, has announced plans to file an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) as a result of this decision. “By these, and other actions taken in retaliation for protected activity under the Act, Apple has discriminated against IAM-represented workers in regard to their terms and conditions of employment in order to discourage them from exercising their rights under the Act,” the union explained in its NLRB filing.
Unionized Apple Workers Express Frustration at the News of the Store Closure
The union’s complaint against Apple boils down to the company’s decisions to treat its unionized workers differently, but the tech company reportedly explains this away as a repercussion of the union contract. Apple is said to have claimed that the collective bargaining agreement prevents relocation, however, union workers state that this is “simply false, and raises serious concerns that this closure is a cynical attempt to bust the union.”
In a follow-up notice on the IAM’s website, IAM Union International President Brian Bryant wrote, “This is about whether workers are treated fairly under the law or punished for exercising their rights.” He also added that “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.”
Roughly 90 employees from the Towson operations will be affected by the change, with some telling Apple Insider that it has been hard for them to apply to other stores and face immediate rejection even before securing an interview. For those who do make it to an interview, there are no added advantages of having worked at an Apple store previously.
Apple’s Store Shutdown Is Likely to Proceed Regardless of Union Resistance
Apple has denied the claims made by the union. “We strongly disagree with the claims made, and we will continue to abide by the agreement that was negotiated and agreed with the union. We look forward to presenting all of the facts to the NLRB [National Labor Relations Board],” a spokesperson told The Guardian. Apple has explained that according to the bargained contract, transfer rights are limited to stores that Apple opens within 50 miles of its shuttered operations, which isn’t the case here.
Apple announced the union store shutdown on April 9 and the closure is expected to be be completed in June. While the NLRB filing may push the iPhone maker to reconsider offering unionized workers transfers at other stores, the decsion to close the store will likely go through. Eric Brown, an Apple store employee, told the Guardian that the decision felt like a “betrayal,” adding that “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.”
The Apple union labor charge comes at a time when the overall organizaiton is undergoing considerable change. With CEO Tim Cook set to step down to the role of executive chairman of Apple’s board of directors while John Ternus takes on the role of Apple CEO, effective on September 1, 2026, there is considerable change that awaits the business. Some speculate that Apple’s store closure may be a way to eliminate union burdens for the next era of Apple’s operations, but this is merely an assumption for now.
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