REI Union Workers from Across the US March on Company Headquarters, Demand to Bargain in Good Faith

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REI workers from around the country joined together yesterday to show our power and unwavering solidarity to fight for a fair first contract, marching on REI headquarters to invite CEO Eric Artz to sit down with representatives from the worker bargaining team—in person, right in the parking lot. REI management was a no-show, so the group of green vests delivered a letter to the Employer's locked front door, surrounded by cheering friends and allies there in solidarity!

REI has unilaterally changed their longstanding past practice and took away merit raises and 2024 Summit Pay at union REIs. Our union has joined other REI union locals around the country to file an Unfair Labor Practice against REI for breaking labor law.

Hear directly from our coworker Sue about why yesterday was so important:

“REI has a list of values and one of them is the ‘co-op way’. One of them is that we start from a place of respect. We acknowledge and resolve our differences of opinion because it helps us tackle problems, learn faster, do better, and go further.”

Has REI lived up to the co-op way? Union workers yesterday went to HQ to say NO! and to demand REI stop union-busting and negotiate with union workers in good faith. The way we win a fair contract is by being engaged and being ready to exercise our right to fight for it! Reach out to anyone on your bargaining team to get more involved in negotiations and upcoming actions.

Feel free to reach out to your union rep Dominick Ojeda at (206) 436-6586.

You can find more about the national campaign here: ourrei.com
View more from the action yesterday at the REI Union Twitter

REI - Bargaining Continues

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On December 12 at 9:30 AM, your bargaining team met again to continue negotiations with REI. Bargaining across the country with REI has shown that our fight ahead requires strong solidarity and action to win our first contract.

We discussed the implementation of the restructuring plan and will continue to request information to keep members informed. REI stated that the implementation should be complete by January 28. Your store manager should begin having conversations with members this week to talk through their classification. If you have any questions or issues about your classification, work with your union rep, Dominick Ojeda, on next steps.

Our next bargaining dates are set for the last few weeks of January 2024, with potentially two in-person days. We hope to make progress at these meetings, and at our next bargaining prep meeting, your bargaining team will be planning our plan of action to win a fair first contract!

Ultimately, it is your process, and it will be successful to the extent that you, as a team, own this process.

Forward together, not one step back!

Join our next ZOOM bargaining prep meeting at 9:30 AM on January 11, 2024.

January 11 • 9:30 AM

Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep for call-in details. Details will be also emailed out.

Are you interested in joining bargaining with REI Corporate? A few things to know:

  • RSVP with your union rep, Dominick Ojeda.

  • Members not on the bargaining team are attending as observers; no comments are allowed during sessions with the Employer unless discussed beforehand.

  • Be open-minded; consider each other’s viewpoints; and attack the issue, not the person.

  • Once a position is adopted or decided, we all support that approach.



REI (Bellingham) - Bargaining Begins

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REI (BELLINGHAM)
BARGAINING BEGINS

Our first bargaining session on Tuesday, November 14, is the start of a long fight. Our introductory session included our Bargaining Team, some of our REI Bellingham coworkers as observers, and REI’s legal counsel at the table. Our initial proposals focused on union security to ensure we keep the union we’ve won and representation language (including union access, bulletin boards, meeting spaces, and stewards). From REI’s counterproposals, it is clear that we have a long way to go to finding agreement.

Our Bargaining Team discussed the recent changes head on and questioned the Employer’s decision to make unilateral changes to working conditions. We will continue that conversation as we bargain over the effects of the changes, continue our Unfair Labor Practice charges against REI, and work together with the REI members across the country who are also dealing with these issues while bargaining their first contracts.

We are looking forward to our next session on December 12. If you’re interested in joining virtually, please contact Union Rep Dominick Ojeda @ (206) 436-6586.

"Our first day felt really shallow, but it was nice to finally meet and put faces to the names. Feels like the beginning of a long relationship." —Tini Alexander, Bargaining Team member

Our REI Bargaining Team (L—R): Tini Alexander, Sue Cottrell, Sharon Martinez, Alex Pollitt, Johnny Cooke (not pictured)