REI Union

We’re going back to the bargaining table in a few short weeks, so stay tuned for updates as we continue to negotiate with REI and get closer to our first contract.

Last week, our National Bargaining Committee met with REI to kick off the first round of our national bargaining process!!✊

Our bargaining committee is made of 22 coworkers from all 11 of our union stores, and it was so empowering to sit down with REI as one and negotiate over our Co-op’s future.

This agreement resolves unfair labor practices and provides wage increases for workers at union stores who hadn't previously received them from 2022-2024. We are excited to keep you updated about our negotiations!

We're excited to share an update on our progress in bargaining with REI! This past week the national bargaining committee and REI came to an agreement to establish a national bargaining structure to inform store-level collective bargaining agreements for the 11 unionized REI stores.

@REI - come to the table in good faith so we can make transparency and illumination an integral part of our Co-op!

Check out each one of our Ten Essentials at t.co/czjkJNTPKY

An infographic that reads: "Essential 3: Repair Kit. Real commitment to REDI inside stores and in our communities. We know there are structural inequalities in this world, and we want REI to be a place where we can work to repair those."

All adventures require proper illumination, and our Co-op members are TIRED of REI trying to lead us in the dark. We need illumination in the form of TRUE transparency from REI’s leadership, and we also need REI to repair the trust they’ve broken with their members and workers.

An infographic that reads: "Essential 10: Illumination. We see a better way forward at REI, and we know that we go further together. We're calling on REI to embrace our vision and negotiate with our union stores in good faith.

Last year, we unveiled our Ten Essentials for a Better Co-op. Since then, we’ve added more stores to our movement, plus we’ve seen some big changes to REI’s leadership, so we wanted to revisit some these essentials and discuss how pivotal they are to the future of our Co-op. 🧵👇

So many of the letters you all sent in all speak to the exact same goal: for REI to restore trust with members and do right by all the people working hard to make our Co-op special. Thank you again to everyone who took the time to write a message to Mary Beth - they'll arrive at REI’s HQ soon!

POV: We’re hard at work printing, packaging up, and mailing out over a thousand letters featuring YOUR messages to REI’s leadership! It’s so empowering to see so many REI members all sharing the same vision for our Co-op, and it’s even more impactful to see everything here on paper.

Ashley’s words remind us just how much REI green vests, union or not, are ready for us to return to our Co-op roots.
@REI - it’s about time you get with the program.

"Talking with workers from across the country, it was clear that REI isn’t treating its employees right. We all want a better REI, one that respects and truly listens to its employees.”

“I was honored to be nominated for the Anderson Award by my coworkers and proud to attend as a union employee. The official programming didn’t leave space for honest conversations about REI’s culture, but we found ways to have them anyway..."

A group of four REI union workers posing for the camera while attending the 2025 Anderson Awards ceremony!

A group of REI Union workers recently attended the 2025 Anderson Awards to connect with other green vests about what it’s going to take for REI to restore trust this summer. Here’s what this opportunity meant to our coworker Ashley from REI Greensboro 👇

We're Working hard to print them out and send them to Mary Beth, but here are some standouts sent in by long-time Co-op members who are ready for REI to return to its roots. If you haven’t yet, please head to ourrei.com/letter/ this week and submit your message to Mary Beth - we’ll mail it for you!

We’ve been encouraging REI members to write to our new CEO Mary Beth Laughton about the changes we need to see in order for REI to be a more democratic and progressive Co-op. We’ve already received over a thousand submissions, with more and more coming in every day!

Here’s a snippet from their conversation, where they highlight the lack of professional diversity on REI’s board and remind us how invaluable it is to have a diversity of perspectives at the top level of ANY organization!

Check out this great episode from Rock Fight Podcast reflecting on our victory in REI’s board election and what REI should reasonably do next, given that they’re under scrutiny from thousands of Co-op members who all want to see real reform across our Cooperative.

Letter to the CEO | REI Union Learn how REI Co-op members are standing up and fighting back against their corporate Board of Directors during this year's election.

Head to OurREI.com/letter/ and tell REI’s new CEO what changes you need to see in order for REI to win back your trust this summer.

We recently played a game of “True or False” with REI members to see how much people know about REI’s track record of anti-worker behavior! Members were frustrated to hear that REI isn’t the Co-op they thought it was, but it’s not too late for us to turn things around.

REI claims that members don’t have a “proper purpose” to view the vote count. This is an insult to all the Co-op members who collectively own REI - especially given that up until 2019, this information was public. Our purpose is a transparent, democratic, progressive Co-op.

"When we have that information, I think we can have a much better conversation on how REI governance will be in the future.” - Mark Lloyd

“I think this would be a good thing for a transparent co-op that’s beholden to its membership to do. I believe strongly that the members should have enough information to help have a dialog on how that’s going to change." - Longtime REI member Mark Lloyd.

REI member sues co-op over refusal to release election information In the wake of a heated 2025 Board of Directors election, the petition argues that the company has a legal obligation to be transparent.

BREAKING: A longtime REI member from Seattle is suing REI to demand they release the FULL vote count from this year’s board election. 🧵👇

www.cascadepbs.org/news/2025/06...

Letter to the CEO | REI Union Learn how REI Co-op members are standing up and fighting back against their corporate Board of Directors during this year's election.

You can help right now by reaching out to REI’s new CEO, Mary Beth, to remind her what changes we need to see as we start getting our Co-op back to its roots. Head to www.ourrei.com/letter and write your message to Mary Beth - we’ll mail it for you!

Our coworker Sam from REI Berkeley is dropping by to share his reflections on why our victory last month in REI’s board election is such a milestone for our movement! He has a clear vision for what we need to see next from REI’s leadership - and how we can get there together.

But REI is listening to our collective voice, so it’s more important than ever for us to remind REI’s leadership what changes we need to see this summer. Head to OurREI.com/Letter and tell our new CEO Mary Beth what it’s going to take for REI to earn back your trust!

How are REI members feeling about REI’s long track record of union busting and corporate decision making? Sad, disappointed, and frustrated are what we heard most while chatting with Co-op members and union supporters at the Outside Festival this past weekend.

A group of people wearing REI union gear and fun union clothing holding a banner that says: REI Union - We Go Further Together.

A group of people wearing REI union gear and fun union clothing holding a banner that says: REI Union - We Go Further Together.

A group of people wearing REI union gear and fun union clothing holding a banner that says: REI Union - We Go Further Together.

Join the coast-to-coast wave of REI members who are speaking out against the company’s behavior this summer - write your letter to REI’s CEO and tell her what changes you need to see at our Co-op: OurREI.com/letter.

A group of people wearing REI union gear and fun union clothing holding a banner that says: REI Union - We Go Further Together.

A group of people wearing REI union gear and fun union clothing holding a banner that says: REI Union - We Go Further Together.

Two people holding an REI Union tote bag.

A group of people wearing REI union gear and fun union clothing holding a banner that says: REI Union - We Go Further Together.

We recently stopped by REI’s Outside Festival to chat with hundreds of Co-op members about how we can keep working together to return REI to its roots! The union solidarity was strong, and we had lots of productive convos about what it’s going to take for REI to restore trust this summer.

Letter to the CEO | REI Union Learn how REI Co-op members are standing up and fighting back against their corporate Board of Directors during this year's election.

Long-time Co-op members and union supporters turned out in solidarity with our demands for accountability from REI’s leadership. Join the tens of thousands of Co-op members who are calling on REI to do better this summer - head to OurREI.com/letter and make your voice heard.