On January 17, we met with REI’s representatives from Morgan Lewis to continue first contract negotiations. Similarly to December’s sessions, we did not reach any new tentative agreements, but we did have productive discussions around in-store issues and identified pathways to agreement on our open Health & Safety, Seniority, Anti-Discrimination, Job Vacancies & Promotions, and Union Representation proposals. We’re hopeful that we can turn this momentum into progress at our next sessions on February 24 and 25. In light of the upcoming corporate changes at REI, we urge REI leadership to take this opportunity to reexamine its treatment of REI’s bargaining unit workers across the country and show up to the table with respect and a commitment to reaching a fair first contract.

HEALTH & SAFETY

After REI decided to take away respirators from Shop employees, REI Bellingham workers contacted WA Labor & Industries’ Division of Occupational Safety & Health (DOSH) to report the change and raised concerns about the broken flume. DOSH has begun a formal investigation into potential health & safety issues at the store, and the flume has finally been fixed! Please reach out to your Union Rep or a Safety Committee member if you have concerns or information to share as we keep pushing for a safer workplace.

Events

Join Bellingham REI Union at the My Better (5k-Half Marathon) Race in Seattle on Sunday, February 9, 8am start time. This race is sponsored by REI and the REI Union will have a booth. We’ll be passing out flyers and running in our REI Union shirts! If you’d like to race, please sign up here: https://runsignup.com/Race/WA/Seattle/MyBetterHalfMarathon and email mgarfinkel@ufcw3000.org the receipt to be reimbursed! You are also welcome to come and flyer! Talk to Tini more about joining!

Steward Training

We will be holding our General Meeting on Sunday, February 23 at 7:30pm. This meeting will include a steward training. As union members, we have Weingarten Rights, or the right to have union representation at any meeting that may lead to discipline. Learn how to advocate for yourself and your coworkers as a steward at this training.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/fB4MKHEzSuGEEX2Y-H5ffQ#/registration

In the News

REI Greensboro, NC workers won their union election last Friday! Now we’re 11 union strong stores!

Shemona Moreno, climate justice activist, is running to be a voice for workers on the REI Board! She has gotten thousands of signatures in favor of the current board putting her on the REI board ballot. REI has still not responded to her application.

Shemona has an op-ed published in the News Tribune here about her fight to be a voice for workers on the REI Board of Directors: https://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/article298909435.html

Our own Sue Cottrell got an op-ed published in the Seattle Times about our fight for a fair contract and the need for an REI Board of Directors who will stop union busting and start following the Co-op way: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/rei-members-vote-for-board-directors-who-reflect-co-op-values/

We are supporting a bill to require REI and other large co-ops to listen to workers! This week Washington State Representative Cindy Ryu introduced HB 1635 requiring large Washington businesses designated as consumer cooperatives to include employees on their boards of directors. State Senator Javier Valdez is expected to introduce a companion bill later this week. Send a letter to your lawmakers here supporting the bill: https://www.trueco-ops.org/