On Saturday members of REI Union Chicago staged a one-day walk out, temporarily forcing the closure of the company’s Lincoln Park location. Unionized REI workers are represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).
The union has been in negotiations with the company since September with demands for better pay, safety, job security, and benefits. Workers accuse the outdoor retailer of failing to bargain in good faith over the course of six meetings with company attorneys in the seven months since September.
Following a vote to unionize at the REI Soho, New York location the brand wrote, “As we have said throughout this process, REI firmly believes that the decision of whether or not to be represented by a union is an important one, and we respect each employee’s right to choose or refuse union representation. We are, at our core, cooperative. Our employees are the heart of the co-op community, and their expertise, enthusiasm and joy in helping people get outside make us who we are. We greatly appreciate their hard work and dedication through what continues to be a remarkably challenging time in the world.”
This week local officials in Cleveland have joined the workers and RWDSU in asking REI to return to the bargaining table, saying “REI workers deserve fair treatment and compensation, which should be seen as shared goals of both the employer and employee as that would lead to greater retention rates and increased productivity overall.”
Additional actions are planned for other unionized REI locations during the brand’s ongoing annual Memorial Day sale.
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May 23, 2024