REI workers in Bellingham voted to unionize on June 9, joining the outdoor recreational store in Berkeley, California, as the only REI locations on the West Coast to join a union.
Bellingham employees voted 40–12 to join United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 3000, which represents retail, health care and grocery workers as the largest union in the Pacific Northwest, a UFCW representative said. The vote count was completed around 8 p.m. on June 9.
REI worker Johnny Cook said staff at the Bellingham store reached out to UFCW after management started reducing hours for most workers.
“We were running into each other at the food bank,” Cook said. “Some of us had to sell back our gear to cover rent. … Only a select handful of people were getting enough hours to even remotely help them pay their bills.”
Employees at a Maple Grove, Minnesota, REI location also voted to unionize June 9.
REI’s corporate office released the following statement in response: “We look forward to engaging in good faith negotiations with the employees’ elected representative once the results are certified. Together, as always, we’ll continue to focus on serving the outdoor communities in Maple Grove and Bellingham.”
Next, workers will meet with management at the bargaining table to come to terms on a contract.
“We want consistency and reliability in our scheduling,” Cook said.
This story was updated a 10:23 a.m. June 15, 2023, with additional information.
