We Are the REI Union.

We are unionizing at REI!

We know that as workers at REI, we are at the center of what makes our stores great. Our shared passion for the outdoors and spirit of inclusiveness is what keeps our members coming into our stores. Our hard work and expertise have value and deserve respect.

We’re unionizing at REI because we have not been provided with the working conditions and benefits we need to do the job we love. REI needs to be held accountable to their stated values. Too many of us are struggling to make ends meet, and we shouldn’t have to worry about things like sudden cuts to our hours.

Having a union contract gives you and your coworkers a voice in the policies that affect your daily work lives and the ability to secure the benefits you deserve. That’s why we’re coming together at REI to advocate for guaranteed minimum hours, pay that reflects our value and seniority, improved safety standards, and real job protections - all guaranteed in writing.

We voted to unionize at our stores to help build a better REI for everyone! We believe that the REAL way forward is with a union and that no matter where you work, you and your coworkers should have a say in how your store is run. We all deserve better. We all deserve a union.

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REI Berkeley Unionizes

REI UNION NEWS

"REI has hemorrhaged money for two years in a row. Now employees fear its famed outdoor-nerd culture is at risk"

August 19th, 2024 — Via Fortune Magazine: "...There had been discontent brewing among the Green Vests for years. It picked up steam during the pandemic, when unpredictable and chaotic conditions created stress for frontline workers at all kinds of retailers. Tim Spangler, head of retail and a 28-year REI veteran whom many credited with building the strong Green Vest culture, left in 2021. And early the following year, for the first time in REI’s history, workers at one of its stores—the flagship in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood—began the process that led them to unionize as part of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union..."

Read the full article on FortuneMag.com

REI Union Makes Statement on "Stewarding our Future" Restructuring

August 21st, 2024 — REI recently overhauled scheduling and availability policies at the Co-op, as part of their “Stewarding Our Future” restructuring. With this overhaul, REI is limiting full-time positions, requiring workers to be fully available for many extra days each year, and making it much harder for us to get home during the holidays.

Parts of these new policies reflect what we’ve been demanding at the bargaining table for years, but the vast majority of these changes are half measures that SEVERELY miss the mark on what REI workers are asking for and truly need. Read more of our reflections on how, with this restructuring, REI is ignoring our voices and trying to “Steward our Futures” for us.

Austin REI workers accuse management of union busting and ignoring sexual harassment

August 9th, 2024 — Audrey Goff, a worker REI Austin, recently sat down with Texas standard to discuss the union busting they’ve experienced at their store. In these conversations, we learn that REI has been unfairly disciplining workers who are involved with union activity. We also see how REI ignored workers’ reports of sexual harassment at the Austin store - a new low for the company.

Read the full article on texasstandard.org, and listen to Audrey’s explanation of what’s been happening at their store here.

REI Union Rallies in Ithaca, NY at New Store Opening

July 1st, 2024 — REI Co-op members and community supporters gathered Saturday, June 29th on the weekend of the grand opening for their new store in Ithaca, New York.

Supporters heard stories from our union coworkers as well as from elected officials and others who joined us to call on REI to remain neutral, should green vests at the REI Ithaca location choose to organize. Furthermore, they demanded that REI ditch their consistent pattern of union busting and begin negotiating in good faith with their workers at union stores to settle contracts before the end of this year.