VICTORY: by a vote of 86%, workers have voted to unionize with
@RWDSU
, officially making REI SoHo the first unionized
@REI
store in the nation! We go further together!
#REIunion
Allow us to introduce ourselves: we, the workers of
@REI
Soho, have come together to form a union with
@RWDSU
. One week ago today, in our daily huddle, workers presented the following to our manager, asking for recognition of our union.
#REIunion
(1/17)
Today’s the day – workers at REI SoHo get our chance to vote
#UnionYES
! We’re standing strong together for the seat at the table we deserve. Stay tuned.
#REIunion
BREAKING: moments ago, the green vests of
@reiunionsoho
walked off the job on a ULP strike! REI Union SoHo is demanding that
@REI
restore their wages and bargain in good faith. Come down to 303 Lafayette Street NOW and support the first REI workers to unionize!
#REIunion
Update from the smoggy streets of SoHo, NYC: today, our union successfully pressured management to close our store due to the increasingly unsafe air quality in Manhattan.
Cat’s out of the bag: we, the workers of
@REI
SoHo, will get our chance to vote
#UnionYES
on Wed, March 2, 2022! Our election will take place in person in the REI SoHo breakroom. Workers are excited and ready to vote Union Yes!
#REIunion
SIGN THE PETITION:
@REI
, Stop Union Busting! We, the workers of
@reiunionsoho
, deserve a free and fair union election. We are calling on REI to immediately halt all union-busting practices, and to remain neutral as workers vote on union representation.
✍️
HAPPENING NOW:
@reiunionsoho
is walking out on a ULP STRIKE! On Feb 15, REI announced it will be withholding annual merit pay increases from our store and all unionized
@reiunion
stores across the Co-op. This is union busting and it’s disgusting!
us
@reiunionsoho
green vests were pretty excited when we spotted this clue about our union drive in
@NYMag
's crossword puzzle today - the same day that
@NYMagUnion
ratified their contract! Congrats, y'all!
#1u
#REIunion
“I’m smiling but that’s because the person who took my photo made me laugh. It was a good day. But when the sun sets and the train stations get emptier, I’m not smiling.”
We went 3/3 today, doubling the number of unionized Starbucks in the United States. Partners in Buffalo, NY, overcame incredible union-busting odds to stand together and win.
#WhyWeOrganize
.
@Tim_Walz
is a true
@reiunion
hire! He's pro-union, has valuable expertise in the outdoors, and, alongside REI members nationwide, is horrified by
@REI
's union busting and refusal to bargain in good faith with their ten unionized REI stores!
Today, we, the workers of REI Union SoHo, are launching the REI Union Hardship Fund (RUHF.) Since REI cut our pay on June 1st in an act of retaliation against our unionizing efforts, many of us at REI SoHo are now on the brink of extreme hardship.
“I am voting
#UnionYES
because a company cannot claim to be supportive of LGBTQ+ rights when they don’t pay their trans workers a living wage.”
#REIunion
We are incredibly humbled by the outpouring of support received since filing for our union election. We're spending today hard at work maintaining momentum with our campaign while also taking a moment to reflect and celebrate last week. Stay tuned for more!
#REIunion
(17/17)
However, the law does permit you to acknowledge this effort of your own accord, so we kindly request your voluntary recognition of our union at
@REI
Soho. (6/17)
5-year green vest Damien explains how the pay cuts at REI SoHo are affecting him and his co-workers. “We hope that REI can support its workers and support us living in this beautiful city, NYC.” Write an email to
@REI
demanding they restore SoHo’s pay:
We, the
#REIunion
, present this to you as a courteous notification that we have officially filed an election petition with majority support to be represented by
@RWDSU
in matters of collective bargaining. (5/17)
On the last page of our employee handbook, The Co-op Way, there is a question: “How will we know our culture is working? We’ll feel it.” We love working at
@REI
because our managers ask themselves questions like this, but what happens when the culture falters? (2/17)
This is soho right now. Thomson and Grand.
There are scenes like this all over NYC. This is a dangerous flooding event. Avoid travel if at all possible.
(🎥 IG:
@julianaf8surf
)
Today marks one year since we began bargaining for a first contract with
@REI
. Meanwhile, yesterday was the first time our bargaining committee sat down at the table with REI’s new union busting law firm, Morgan Lewis.
It’s been one week since we unionized REI SoHo! We’ve been celebrating our victory while resting up for the contract fight ahead. Thx to all the workers, customers, and members who have congratulated us or stopped by the store! This isn’t just a moment; it’s a movement.
#REIunion
For this reason, the employees of
@REI
Soho have come together to find a new solution that ensures a steadfast way for the culture of the co-op to keep working. (4/17)
We're so proud of the work we did and excited to share our story - come join us for a conversation about our historic unionizing win at REI! Register in advance here:
Frankly, we love
@REI
. Our coworkers are our friends and we feel lucky to pursue our passions through our work. Collectively, we have decided that a union is the best way to guarantee that
@REI
continues to be a workplace we love. (15/17)
We believe a union will benefit us for several familiar reasons. First, *we go further together*. To us, that means employees need a seat at the table to collaboratively develop our agreements with you. (7/17)
THIS SUNDAY: join workers from our REI SoHo organizing committee to hear the story of how we became the first
@rei
store to unionize! (And learn how to start the process at your own workplace!) Register in advance here:
#REIunion
.
@REI
closes its doors on
#BlackFriday
, but workers like Ace don’t get the chance to
#OptOutside
when he’s struggling to cover his basic needs during the holidays. Instead, Ace will spend Friday looking for a third job because their hours at REI have been cut.
Since *we are all responsible for the co-op’s results*, we want to work with our management team to make the decisions that will impact every aspect of our working lives. (8/17)
Our input is invaluable because *we strive for harmony in work and life*; no one knows the personal needs of employees better than employees themselves. (9/17)
Something to remember as you make your decision to recognize this effort is that we are *starting from a place of respect*, and we hope you will too! (10/17)
It goes without saying that we *fight for a life outdoors* and *believe that the outdoors is for all*, and furthering the goals of
@REI
to be inclusive and supportive of all people in getting outside is important to us… it’s why we work here! (14/17)
We know that with a union, we’ll all be able to *hold ourselves to a higher standard* by continuing to set an example for the rest of the retail industry as a company that respects the voices of its staff at all levels. (12/17)
VICTORY: We voted and WE WON!
We, the workers at REI in Berkeley, are proud to announce we have voted YES to unionize with
@ufcw5
. The official vote, tallied by the National Labor Relations Board, was 56 to 38.
Solidarity is a verb. REI Union SoHo is out on the picket line today with
@NYTimesGuild
@nyguild
! We’ll always show up for our comrades ✊ Fair contract now!
We want to journey with you into a new era and *courageously embrace change* in a world where the precarity of our climate, the tenacity of COVID-19, and other unforeseen, unprecedented occurrences make work feel like one of the only stable, safe parts of our lives. (11/17)
"Seeing other groups stand up to Amazon, which is a behemoth, stand up to Starbucks which is everywhere, ingrained in every single neighborhood, it was really comforting. I didn’t feel alone" -
#REIunion
worker Damien Sowell
@SBWorkersUnited
@BAmazonUnion
.
@REI
employees have always been *here to do our best work*, and want to create a sustainable working environment so that we can continue to do so! (13/17)
“REI’s progressive imagine backfired on them because it wasn’t aligned with their stance on unionization which has turned a lot of people off.” Claire Chang
@reiunionsoho
OC member speaking
@labornotes
#LaborNotes2022
on new worker organizing.
🚨 A SALE STRIKE ALERT 🚨 We, the green vests of REI Union SoHo, have walked out on ULP STRIKE during REI’s highly profitable, yearly Sale! Co-op members: come on down to 303 Lafayette St NOW to picket with us & that REI reach a national contract with the
@reiunion
in 2024!
REI's big anniversary sale starts today, marking the beginning of the busiest time for
@REI
employees. We wanted to send a message of solidarity to green vests across the country. It's true during normal times and it's true during A-Sale: we're stronger when we stick together.
🧵: READ the letter we delivered to REI mgmt this week asking them to recognize our union:
"Dear Recreational Equipment Inc. Management,
We, the strong majority of employees of REI Berkeley, have chosen to be represented by United Food and Commercial Worker (UFCW) Local 5.
Happy Anniversary to us! One year ago today, the green vests of REI Union SoHo voted to unionize with
@RWDSU
by a margin of 86%. Today felt like the perfect time to share a bargaining update🧵
NEW: REI workers in California are unionizing. They’re the first REI store to file for a union election following
@reiunionsoho
’s victory.
REI claims to be a progressive company but employees say it’s a facade.
They’re understaffed, overworked & face racism from managers.
Happy
#UnionYes
Anniversary to us! We edited together two minutes of union solidarity for TWO YEARS! That's right, it's been two beautiful, challenging, unforgettable years since REI SoHo became the first REI store to win our union vote on March 2, 2022.
.
@REI
cut many workers’ pay at the SoHo store on June 1 AKA the first day of
#Pride
. “I probably won’t be able to afford my hormones this month,” explains SoHo green vest Ace. Send an email to REI leadership and demand they restore SoHo’s pay:
#REIunion
Damien Sowell from our REI SoHo organizing committee joined with fellow workers,
@POTUS
,
@VP
, and
@SecMartyWalsh
at the White House today. We’re proud to be part of the labor organizing wave happening all across the country—this is just the beginning! Solidarity forever✊
Today, I met with grassroots worker organizers to thank them for their leadership in organizing unions. From the Amazon Labor Union to IATSE at Titmouse Productions, these folks are inspiring a movement of workers across the country to fight for the pay and benefits they deserve.
And Santa Cruz, CA makes TEN unionized REI stores! Members of REI Union SoHo got together after our shifts last night to celebrate
@reiunion
Santa Cruz’s election! It’s official, we’re in the DOUBLE DIGITS now 🥹
Organize, fight, win! We are thrilled to be in Chicago at the
@labornotes
conference to strategize with and learn from workers organizing nationwide! Make sure to check out
#REIunion
leader Claire Chang on the New Organizing panel this weekend.
#LaborNotes2022
It’s the final hour of
@reiunionsoho
’s ULP strike and our energy has only gotten stronger! Our solidarity is no match for
@rei
’s union busting!
#REIunion
For many years,
@REI
liked to brag about being named one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies To Work For. This year, due to numerous labor law violations, REI landed on a much different list:
@FastCompany
's Worst Union Busters of 2023.
We're so humbled by the outpouring of support from customers and members as we get ready to vote
#UnionYES
on Wednesday! In the meantime, tell
@REI
that
#UnionBustingIsDisgusting
:
Despite all of these scare tactics, we are more united than ever in our belief that a union is the best way forward for all of us. Tell
@REI
to stop union busting here:
#REIunion
#UnionBustingIsDisgusting
The climate crisis is a labor issue. Climate catastrophes impact workers, and disproportionately affect frontline, essential workers.
Here's a thread of what's happening to workers in this current wildfire emergency, and how they're organizing around it 🧵
BREAKING: we, the green vests of
@REI
Cleveland, have filed for an election with the
@NLRB
. We are organizing a union with
@RWDSU
because we believe it is the most meaningful and effective way to ensure all voices are heard, and all employees supported.
#REIunion
However, we’re disappointed to report that it took until the AQI reached 400 for REI to agree to close the store WITH pay for green vests. Before that, they held our reduced wages over our heads, forcing workers to choose between our own safety and our livelihoods.
REI Union SoHo got together after our shifts tonight to celebrate REI CASTLETON’S UNION WIN! We’re so excited to officially welcome a ninth store into our
@reiunion
family! Together, we are so powerful ✊🔥
#REIunion
THREAD: On July 7, 2022, Eric Artz contacted every
@REI
employee with details on "The Way Forward" initiative.
Let’s break this down.
What is "The Way Forward?" ⬇️
SoHo green vests like Laura rely on their income from
@REI
to pay their bills. Now, with her pay cut by REI, Laura is worried she won’t be able to afford to stay in New York City. Email REI leadership and demand they restore SoHo’s pay:
"I am proud to be here in this moment with my coworkers at REI SoHo as a part of this new wave of unionization efforts that is sweeping the nation."
We green vests have been so inspired by
@SBWorkersUnited
, and we send big congrats to
@NYTGuildTech
!
#1u
We wore our
#REIunion
T-shirts to work today in honor of
@reiunionboston
’s victory! Congrats to our union family in Beantown on voting to become the FIFTH unionized
@REI
store! ❤️🔥
A year ago today we filed our petition to bring forth a union at REI in SoHo. We’ve come so far in the past 12 months – enjoy our year in review and celebrate with us!
#REIUnionSoHoWrapped
#REIunion
Yellowstone National Park rangers have won a union.
Guides, researchers, and admin staff—both seasonal and full-time workers—will also have the ability to join the union.
All of these workers will now have a say in their pay and working conditions.
“We’re not organizing because we hate it here; we love it here, but we want the culture of our workplace [to] match what we were promised when we were hired" -
@reiunionsoho
worker
@FinkeToby
#REIunion
@TheGearJunkie