REI has not reached contracts with any unionized shops since bargaining started in 2022, as staff in Berkeley and different places escalate a boycott of the anniversary sale, whereas the outside retailer insists it’s negotiating in good religion.
The REI retailer in Berkeley on March 28, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)
The corporate stated the controversial tactic, additionally opposed by some workers at union shops, threatens jobs at a time when it’s attempting to regain its monetary footing.
“This can be a disappointing transfer that targets the co‑op. It appears the union’s focus is on harming the monetary wellbeing of the enterprise, as a substitute of advancing negotiations,” REI stated in a assertion. “The union’s dedication to undermining the enterprise places jobs, wages, advantages, and future alternative in danger, and pulls everybody farther from the progress our workers deserve.”
REI, a values-based client co-op, stated it stays dedicated to bargaining in good religion. The specialty outside retailer, headquartered close to Seattle, has not finalized an settlement with staff at any of the 11 places which have unionized since 2022.
REI has 195 shops throughout the U.S., using about 14,000 individuals. Employees at a twelfth retailer in San Diego are scheduled to vote on whether or not to hitch the union subsequent week.
In North Berkeley, some consumers entered the San Pablo Avenue retailer after declining flyers provided by staff in “REI Union” white T-shirts. Different prospects chatted with the staff and their supporters, opting to depart with out purchasing.
“It was form of a no brainer. I wasn’t going to cross the road and go in and purchase,” stated Cristina Cano, a San Francisco public college instructor and union member who lives in Berkeley. “I should purchase no matter I would like at one other place.”
Lately, REI reported income of greater than $3.5 billion yearly, but in addition web losses of $311 million in 2023 and $156.4 million in 2024, even because it opened new shops. The co-op, which invests considerably in member rewards, nonprofit donations and worker incentives and retirement contributions, posted a narrower web lack of $54.3 million in 2025, citing “progress towards profitability.”
Employees supporting the boycott pushed apart issues that it dangers alienating prospects past the 10-day sale occasion. As a client co-op, REI’s 25 million members could make a distinction in how the corporate approaches bargaining, they stated.
“REI’s solely tactic has been to delay and obfuscate and to make the method harder to persuade us that we don’t want a union,” stated Inkelas, who research metropolis planning and regulation at UC Berkeley and works part-time at REI, together with as a cashier. “I simply need them to come back again to the desk and negotiate pretty with us.”
The union stated that firm negotiators just lately floated requiring the labor group to make a $1 million charitable donation, and restrict detrimental discuss in regards to the firm — claims that REI stated misrepresented bargaining discussions that had been finally not pursued.
Non-public-sector workers have a proper to decide on whether or not to arrange and discount collectively within the U.S. However labor specialists stated employers opposing a union can undermine these rights with little to no accountability, as federal regulation doesn’t financially penalize violations.
Final 12 months, investigators with the Nationwide Labor Relations Board discovered proof that REI illegally withheld wage raises and bonuses from tons of of workers — whereas persevering with to present the advantages to nonunion workers — to discourage union membership. The corporate reached a settlement settlement on that criticism, paying impacted staff retroactive raises, in alternate for the union dropping dozens of unfair labor observe costs.
Samuel Wirt, a Berkeley REI worker who’s a part of the bargaining staff, stated staff can’t settle for gives of decrease pay will increase and fewer advantages when in comparison with nonunion shops.
“This could possibly be hashed out tomorrow in the event that they’re prepared to fulfill us on a proposal that we are able to really vote sure on,” he stated. “We’re not asking for the solar and the celebs right here. We would like to have the ability to proceed working right here in one of the costly actual property markets within the nation.”
