Apple faces escalating political pressure over its decision to close the Towson Town Center location, the first US Apple retail store to unionize. Maryland Governor Wes Moore publicly supported employees on Tuesday, calling the closure a move that "pulls the rug out" from workers who proved unionization and business success can coexist. He demanded equal treatment for Towson staff.

The store has been unionized under IAM Union since 2022, making it a landmark case for organized labor in tech retail. Apple announced the June 20 closure alongside two other locations in California and Connecticut, citing standard business reasons. However, the union argues Apple is violating its agreement by limiting transfer options to within 50 miles while offering broader relocations to non-union employees.

Forty members of Congress recently joined Maryland lawmakers in pressuring Apple to reconsider or extend equal transfer rights to Towson workers. The dispute stems from an unfair labor practice charge filed with the National Labor Relations Board on April 28. Apple maintains it will present its case to the NLRB and disputes the union's claims about inadequate relocation options.

With the June 20 deadline approaching, IAM Union praised Moore's intervention while Apple has not responded to the governor's statement. The company's original comment emphasized compliance with the negotiated union agreement and commitment to presenting facts to federal regulators.