REI Workers Take Nationwide Legal Action Against Employer

On Wednesday, unionized REI workers with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), and the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) filed coordinated, nationwide unfair labor practice charges against their employer, Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), over the company’s bad faith bargaining practices and unilateral workplace changes that show a pattern of egregious anti-union behavior, emotional manipulation, and retaliatory actions against workers, such as firings, changes to work schedules, and disciplinary practices. Workers from all eight unionized REI locations filed charges with their regional National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) offices.

“We, the workers of REI Union SoHo, have spent over 18-months pushing for a first contract," said Graham Gale, Shop Mechanic at the SoHo, NY REI. "The struggle has been difficult, but we’re continuing to fight because we NEED meaningful change in our workplace. REI has targeted us, the first store to organize, from the very beginning, and now in an aggressive move; they hired Amazon’s notorious union busting attorney, Morgan Lewis. This decision made clear that REI is more interested in fighting its own workers than having meaningful negotiations with us. We’ve spent the last six-months in only a handful of sessions, and seeing little agreement, while re-educating the new lawyers on our long-held issues. We join together with all of the unionized stores nationwide today to DEMAND that REI bargain in good faith towards a fair first contract. REI, if you truly believe in the values you profess, come to the table. Until then, green vests from coast to coast will continue to build power, numbers, and solidarity; this union is not going anywhere.” Read more here!