Victory comes days after historic worker-led boycott turns away thousands of REI customers across 30 states
SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – Today, the REI Union announced that workers at REI’s San Diego store voted to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 135. The San Diego location is REI’s third-largest in the country by revenue, and the 12th and largest REI store in the country to unionize with the UFCW/RWDSU for fair pay, sustainable scheduling practices, and better working conditions.
Jae Michael (they/them), a REI worker at the co-op’s San Diego store, said:
“We’re so stoked to have won our union! It’s been a long road, but we all want to make REI the best version of itself that it can be, and that is what brought us to this moment. We are the ones stewarding the values of this co-op every single day, especially when we cannot rely on executive leadership to do the same. With our union, we’ll have a say in the decisions that affect our jobs and our lives.
“When we first started to organize, I knew we were joining a nationwide movement to hold REI accountable to its green vests and co-op members. I’m beyond proud to be a part of the REI Union so we can achieve that mission together.”
Juanpablo Contreras (he/him), a REI worker at the co-op’s San Diego store, said:
“Myself and the dozens and dozens of my colleagues who voted to form a workers’ union are doing so out of concern for a store and a company we believed in. Our decision was done out of love and concern for our friends and colleagues living out of their cars because they aren’t paid enough for rent.
“We’re also unionizing because REI has continued to take more and more away from its members by cutting member benefits, rights, products, and services, all while increasing CEO pay. We aren’t asking for much – fair pay, health and safety protections, and a return to REI’s values, not just for workers, but members too.”
BACKGROUND
- REI San Diego’s union win comes days after the REI Union concluded its nationwide boycott of the company’s Anniversary Sale to demand that REI bargain in good faith. Over 70,000 co-op members pledged not to shop, reportedly causing stores across the country to miss sales targets. REI received a clear message: Shoppers support unionized green vests’ right to a fair contract.
- The REI San Diego store is the third in California and the 12th in the country to unionize with the UFCW/RWDSU since 2022, along with 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.
- Since the first REI store unionized in SoHo, N.Y., 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 and lies about unionization. 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.
- REI union members are represented by the UFCW Locals 5, 135, 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.
UFCW Local 135 is San Diego’s largest private sector union, representing more than 11,000 workers in grocery, retail, healthcare, food processing, and the cannabis industry. For more information visit www.ufcw135.com.
CONTACTS: Finn Storer – UFCW fstorer@ufcw.org, Chelsea Connor – RWDSU cconnor@rwdsu.org