The US Federation on Worker Cooperatives (USFWC) is backing a petition calling for Recreational Equipment Inc (REI) to ‘stop union-busting: bargain with employees for fair contracts’.
Launched by REI Union, the petition accuses REI of betraying co-op values, alleging the outdoors retailer has been leading an aggressive union-busting campaign since the unionisation of workers at REI’s SoHo location in 2022. Ten out of REI’s 181 stores have unionised so far.
Earlier this year REI workers marched on its HQ near Seattle to deliver a brace of contract requests.
However, according to the petition, workers who unionised in March 2022 are still waiting for a first contract agreement. The petition also claims REI continues to enact unilateral changes to working conditions across the co-op while refusing to bargain with their union workers.
Related: Workers at REI Coop march on Seattle HQ with contract demands
“As members of the US co-operative movement, we are outraged to learn that REI continues to market itself as a ‘Co-op’ while refusing to uphold the values so dear to those of us in the co-op movement,” reads the petition. “We are joining together to demand that REI stop union busting and negotiate in good faith with their union workers to reach a fair first contract by the end of 2024.
“We are proud to be in solidarity with the USFWC in building a US co-operative movement that respects workers, and we are calling on all co-operative organisations across the country to join us in calling out union busting and bad faith bargaining as anti-cooperative behaviour. We also denounce REI and any other union-busting company’s use of ‘co-op’ branding that uses our shared principles to launder their reputation. Co-operation includes co-operating with your workers to bargain a contract.”
Meanwhile, REI maintains it is committed to agreeing on a deal with staff that have unionised but negotiations take time.
“REI is committed to negotiating in good faith with our stores that have chosen union representation,” it said in a statement. “The collective bargaining process – especially when negotiating a first contract –can be lengthy. Both parties have been engaged in numerous negotiations and have reached tentative agreements on various topics. We remain steadfast in our commitment to this process and to finding a mutually beneficial agreement with our stores that have chosen union representation.”
