Union members of the Bellingham REI store staged a one-day strike Saturday, May 25, a day before the popular outdoor multisport relay race Ski to Sea.
UFCW 3000, which represents the workers, confirmed the strike at 6 a.m. on social media, writing workers were striking because of unfair labor practices.
Eighty complaints accusing the outdoor recreational equipment vendor of violating federal labor laws were filed in 2023, according to Reuters. The complaints ranged from accusing REI of retaliating against pro-union workers, restructuring jobs, changing working conditions without union input and stalling contract bargaining.
Bellingham REI union workers acknowledged their strike was timed to coincide with Ski to Ski, scheduled for Sunday, May 26, as well as the retailer’s anniversary sale. The workers wrote that the strike was happening because of REI’s bad-faith bargaining since the union was formed and because of illegal union busting.
“We know that many people have come far and wide to compete in this year’s Ski to Sea race, and we want to make sure you have all the information about REI’s union-busting practices while we’re out on strike in Bellingham,” the workers wrote on their website. “We wish we could be serving you all for your multisport relay gear needs, but hope that next year we can see you in our store.”
Other REI union shops on strike include its New York City and Chicago locations.
Annie Todd is CDN’s criminal justice/enterprise reporter; reach her at annietodd@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 130.
