REI Union Stores Secure Major Win in Ongoing Co-op Conflict

A Major Shift in REI’s Stance on Unions

In the three years since REI’s first store unionized in 2022, the outdoor retailer has consistently maintained that unions are not “necessary or beneficial” for its employees. During this time, when the company provided raises from 2022 to 2024, unionized workers were excluded from these increases. However, this situation has changed significantly as REI Co-op has announced the start of contract negotiations with the 11 stores that have unionized since 2022.

The August 1 announcement revealed that REI will establish a “national bargaining structure to inform store-level collective bargaining agreements.” Additionally, the company will provide wage increases and bonuses to unionized workers that were previously denied from 2022 to 2024. At the time, the union criticized REI’s decision to withhold raises from only unionized workers and filed an official complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). This complaint has now been dropped as part of REI’s agreement to give unionizing workers their raises.

Two unions representing REI workers—the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU)—have welcomed the company’s decision to move forward with negotiations. For the workers themselves, this marks a hopeful step toward finally securing a union contract.

“We now have a clear path to a first contract at all of our unionized stores, including mine in Durham,” said Si-Hua Chang, a sales specialist at REI Durham, in a prepared statement. “I’m proud of my co-workers for what we’ve achieved so far as a union, and I’m excited for us to take that momentum to the table with REI going forward.”

Despite this progress, REI Co-op and the two unions declined to provide further comment when contacted by HAWXTECH.

A Turbulent Year for the Co-op

REI’s resistance to unionizing efforts is not the only issue that has caused concern among its membership. When President Donald Trump appointed Doug Burgum to lead the Department of the Interior in January, REI Co-op joined many other outdoor brands in endorsing Trump’s pick. However, Burgum and Trump began dismantling federal agencies responsible for protecting access to public lands, including the National Park Service.

When Mary Beth Laughton became REI’s new president in March, she took the unusual step of issuing a public apology for the co-op’s endorsement of Burgum. This gesture, however, did not quell the growing discontent within the company.

Outdoor celebrities like Pattie Gonia took to social media, highlighting the oil and gas connections of other REI board members and pointing to a larger issue within the company. The opposition reached a peak in May when unionizing workers—organizing as REI Union—helped lead what it called a “historic” vote, as co-op members voted down every nomination to the company’s board of directors.

“This victory was only possible because REI members and REI workers stood together to send a resounding message that it is time for the co-op to return to its core values,” REI Union stated at the time.

The Growing Movement for Workers’ Rights

Across the U.S., more people are coming out to support unions than at any other time in recent memory, according to Brandee Morris, president of North Carolina’s Local 466 for the American Federation of Government Workers (AFGE). While Morris is not involved in unionizing efforts at REI, she believes the current wave of union activity is part of a broader movement driven by frustration over income inequality.

“I used to have like eight people in my monthly union meetings. Now it’s like 40-50 every month,” Morris said. “I don’t think it’s just a flash in the pan. I think it’s a movement. The more these billionaires continue to piss off the working class, the more it will happen.”

Union Organizing Booms in the US Outdoor Industry

While the outdoor industry contributes over $1 trillion to the US economy, more workers are joining labor unions to improve their compensation and representation. This trend reflects a growing desire for better working conditions and fair treatment. As more employees seek to protect their rights, the outdoor industry is witnessing a significant shift in labor dynamics.