FRIDAY: Historic Boycott of REI to Begin on May 15 Across the Country as New Bargaining Details Revealed

REI proposals included moratoriums on organizing and public communications, a six-year contract length, and mandatory giving to REI's charity of choice

REI Union workers and allies will take a stand outside REI stores to alert customers about the boycott

"REI has the ability to pick up the phone and get serious" - REI Union worker

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Friday, May 15, workers and customers, led by the REI Union, will begin a boycott of the REI Co-op's Anniversary Sale, which takes place through May 25, following recent negotiations that ended April 30. New details from the bargaining table in Chicago reveal the extent of REI's bad faith bargaining. REI failed to offer a single proposal until the final day of bargaining, and failed to send its own Vice President of Labor Relations, or any key decisionmaker, to the table. REI's outlandish, bad faith proposals included:

Alex Pollitt, a REI worker at the co-op's Bellingham store, and bargaining committee member, said:

"My co-workers and I have spent the last four years showing up at the bargaining table for a fair contract, while REI has spent that time attempting to defeat us at every turn. We're calling for a nationwide boycott of REI's Anniversary Sale because REI still refuses to take negotiations seriously and has left us with no other way to make our voices heard.

"Our singular goal for the past four years has been to negotiate in good faith with REI and agree on a contract that upholds the values and legacy of this co-op. We have continued to reach out after bargaining ended last month. REI has the ability to pick up the phone and get serious."

REI's Anniversary Sale occurs every May and is the retailer's largest event of the year. Contact [email protected] to arrange interviews with REI Union workers.

BACKGROUND

• In previous negotiations in late February, REI proposed paying workers at unionized stores less than workers at non-union REI stores. REI's bad faith bargaining demonstrates that the company fundamentally opposes its workers' right to organize and form a union.

• The REI Union has a broad coalition of support for the boycott, which is unsurprising given the overwhelming solidarity displayed by members over the last several years, especially during the "Vote No" board campaign last year. After two union-backed candidates were prohibited candidacy in REI's 2025 Board of Directors elections, the REI Union sent over 115,000 members to the company's website to vote down the candidates.

• Since the first REI store unionized in SoHo, N.Y., in 2022, the REI Co-op has engaged in a scorched-earth union-busting campaign both in-store and at the bargaining table, complete with the intimidation of workers, lies about unionization, and the termination of many vocal union supporters. In response, workers have held several multi-day walkouts, community and co-op member actions, garnered support from elected officials from across the country, and more.

• In July 2025, REI and the union agreed to establish a national bargaining structure to reach collective bargaining agreements for the 11 unionized REI stores. As part of the agreement, REI provided wage increases and bonuses for the years 2022-2025 that the company previously withheld from workers at represented stores.

• As negotiations were taking place, REI unilaterally changed the bylaws of its board to allow the co-op to appoint unelected directors for a period of three years, whereas previously, directors had to be elected by co-op members. This was a clear attempt to stifle the voices of co-op members and stakeholders.

• REI workers unionized for fair pay, sustainable scheduling practices, and better working conditions. The company is now unilaterally implementing cuts to benefits, starting wages, and raises for REI Union workers.

• Since 2022, 11 REI stores have voted to unionize: SoHo, N.Y., Berkeley, Calif., Cleveland, Ohio, Chicago, Ill., Boston, Mass., Durham, N.C., Maple Grove, Minn., Bellingham, Wash., Castleton, Ind., Santa Cruz, Calif., and Greensboro, N.C., with a 12th store recently filing to unionize in San Diego, Calif.

• REI union members are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Locals 5, 663, 700, 1208, 1445, 3000, and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).

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REI Union members are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). Learn more about the growing REI unionization movement here.

The UFCW International is the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.2 million workers and their families in retail, grocery, meatpacking, food processing, healthcare, cannabis, and other essential industries. UFCW members serve our communities in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. Learn more about the UFCW at ufcw.org.

The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) represents 100,000 members throughout the United States. The RWDSU is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW). For more information, please visit our website atwww.rwdsu.org, Facebook:/RWDSU.UFCW Twitter:@RWDSU.

CONTACTS: Finn Storer - UFCW [email protected], Chelsea Connor - RWDSU [email protected]