After another round of bad faith bargaining by REI, workers and co-op members announce boycott of REI’s biggest sale of the year
70,000 REI workers and shoppers have pledged to boycott REI’s Anniversary Sale to date
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the REI Union announced a boycott of the outdoor retailer’s Anniversary Sale, set to take place May 15 through 25, after contract negotiations concluded this week without a fair contract offer. Following four years of REI’s unrelenting union-busting campaign, workers at the 11 unionized REI stores are taking this critical step with the backing of 70,000 REI Co-op members who have already pledged not to shop during REI’s A Sale if the company continued to bargain in bad faith.
Alex Pollitt, a REI worker at the co-op’s Bellingham, WA store, said:
“REI has refused to offer us a fair contract, despite our willingness to compromise, and instead has insisted on provisions that would prevent more workers from joining the REI Union and that would ban us from speaking out. Their anti-union stance is deeply incompatible with the values REI claims to profess. The company has left us no choice but to boycott.
“Co-op members have stood by the REI Union every step of the way, and this boycott is no different. We already have tremendous support from the public and we are going to make it loud and clear that we will not back down. We will continue to fight for the wages, benefits, and working conditions we have earned. Boycott REI!”
Jeff Rosemeyer, a REI worker at the co-op’s Castleton, IN store, said:
“Co-op members need to know that REI isn’t just anti-union – the co-op is accelerating its use of AI, pushing high-interest-rate store credit cards on shoppers, and cozying up to the Trump Administration.
“All we want is a fair contract so we can be a part of putting REI back on the right path. I work here because of my love for the outdoors, but that love doesn’t pay the bills. Since the company won’t listen to us at the bargaining table, boycotting the Anniversary Sale is the only way to make them hear our demands.”
REI’s Anniversary Sale occurs every May and is the retailer’s largest event of the year. Contact press@ufcw.org to arrange interviews with REI Union workers.
BACKGROUND
- During negotiations in Chicago this past week, the REI Co-op demanded contract provisions that would prevent more REI workers from unionizing and stop workers from speaking out publicly against the company through non-disparagement agreements. This comes after REI proposed wage proposals that would pay workers at unionized stores less than workers at non-union REI stores during bargaining in late February.
- 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.
- 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:
UFCW: Finn Storer – fstorer@ufcw.org
RWDSU: Chelsea Connor – cconnor@rwdsu.org