Colorado REI Workers Conflicted about Nationwide Boycott

Colorado REI employee CJ Washburn became concerned about the boycott of the store’s anniversary sale about a week after the REI union announced it on social media in March.

“My coworkers started talking about how doesn’t that mean that we’re just going to lose sales?” Washburn said. “And then we’re going to have our hours cut?”

Due to stalled contract negotiations, the union has called for a nationwide boycott of REI’s anniversary sale from May 15 to May 25. The contract is intended to address recent pay and benefit reductions, which the union claims were specifically targeted at union employees.

“Among many others, they cut our retirement, our health care, our vacation days, holiday pay for part-time workers,” said Alex Pollitt, a member of the REI union who works at the Bellingham, Washington location. “Plus the personal and unpaid time we’ve always set aside to go outside and return with real experience that we could pass on to our members. It’s like they think the outdoors are only for the people who can afford it.”

Members of the union claim that REI has used aggressive tactics to dismantle the union and break the spirit of workers. On May 2, the company issued a statement that they are still willing to negotiate with the union and categorized the boycott as a “disappointing move.”

“REI remains ready to negotiate in good faith at the bargaining table—not on social media and not in response to public attacks or pressure campaigns,” according to its statement. “Every day spent escalating a public conflict is a day not spent at the bargaining table working to reach an agreement that supports our employees and protects the long‑term health of the co‑op. We’re ready to continue bargaining when the union is willing to return to the bargaining table, as they have said they have no current interest in continuing to meet.”

The REI union only represents 11 of approximately 200 stores nationwide. None of Colorado’s 11 REI stores are unionized. 

Nonetheless, the union placed large banners in several non-union stores, including REI’s Denver location, and garnered a lot of attention on social media. They’ve also distributed leaflets and cards to non-union stores with pledges to boycott signed by REI members. The union claims 70,000 workers and shoppers have pledged to boycott REI during its upcoming anniversary sale.

“This is REI’s biggest sale of the year, which is why it’s being targeted for the boycott,” said Michael Ferrer, REI Campaign Coordinator for the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. “By refusing to shop during the sale, workers and supporters will demonstrate that REI cannot afford to ignore the green vests (workers) who power its stores, with the goal of pushing the company to come back to the table and bargain in good faith.”

Some Colorado workers are urging people not to boycott. Washburn, who made it clear that the statements she made for this article were her own and did not represent REI, stated that the majority of her colleagues support the union’s contract but are unable to join.

“The general consensus across my team is we don’t want to go union with you,” Washburn said. “Please don’t cost us our jobs, and please don’t cost us the company.”

Washburn took to YouTube four weeks ago to express her concerns about the boycott, as well as her sympathy for the REI union employees. In the video, she asked people not to boycott REI.

“Obviously the hardcore pro-union people are not a fan,” Washburn said, “which was to be expected.”

Washburn also said she got quite a few positive comments. 

“Apparently, there are quite a few other employees in the company who share my viewpoints,” Washburn said. “They didn’t want to say anything because they were worried about repercussions and also the backlash that they would get from the union.”

Out of the stores in Colorado, Washburn thinks Denver will be impacted the most after the union hung a large banner promoting the boycott outside of the Denver REI.

“The banner got put out; it’s been on the news,” Washburn said. “It’s been on Reddit. It’s hit all the media.”

Washburn is skeptical that the boycott will have a significant impact on the other Colorado locations.

“I think there are some customers who are also hearing both sides,” Washburn said. “If you’re not a union store, they will still shop with you because they know that you don’t want a boycott. But then if you are a union store, they won’t shop with you because they want to support you.”

Elizabeth Saunders, an REI member since 2021, was at the Boulder REI on May 12, looking at running shoes she could then purchase during the anniversary sale with a $90 gift card. She had no idea about the boycott. Upon hearing about it, she’s not sure she’ll partake in the sale.

“Ethical consumption is a big deal for me,” Saunders said. “I just feel like if someone’s saying that they’re not treated right in the system, then I don’t want to support the system that makes them feel like they’re mistreated.”

Adam Pham, an REI member for over 20 years, was looking through the REI Reddit page to learn about what kind of sales they have going on when he read about the boycott. He feels conflicted about participating.

“I want the employees to be unionized and have incentives or insurance and things like that for them to survive,” Pham said. “The other part that I’m conflicted about is REI is a well-known outdoor company. They have good sales, they have a good return policy, and things like that. I don’t know if there is going to be another company that can take that part.”

Pham ended up going down the rabbit hole on Reddit about the boycott and said he understands multiple views that different people have on it.

“There are non-union staff members that are like, what if you boycott the company, and they go bankrupt?” Pham said. “Where are you going to shop next?”

Overall, REI could take a pretty heavy hit, but Washburn doesn’t think it will be as much as the union is hoping for.

“I don’t think it’s working as smoothly as they want because there’s a very wide mix of how the stores feel,” Washburn said.

Washburn is most concerned for the union stores.

“It’s an extremely high risk,” Washburn said, “especially for their locations, because of what we saw happen to SoHo.”

The SoHo, New York REI location, which went on strike for more than 50 days from late 2024 to early 2025, will close later this year. Washburn directly attributes the closing of the store to the success of the strike and speculates that if the boycott of the anniversary sale is successful, more stores will probably close.

“The odds of it being the union stores are pretty high,” Washburn said, “which then just looks bad on the co-op, because then the union will claim that they’re union-busting, when in actuality it’s you guys did so great a job at your boycott that your store didn’t make enough income to pay your guys your paychecks and also pay for the rent and electricity on the building.”

In statements and social media posts, the REI union has claimed that the company is anti-union.

“In February, REI refused to reach an agreement with union workers unless they would take lower raises than their non-union counterparts,” Ferrer said. “In April, we met again with REI to try to resolve issues and reach a contract before the boycott, but they insisted on provisions that would prevent more workers from unionizing and stop the union from speaking out publicly against the company through non-disparagement agreements. REI has made clear that they are fundamentally anti-union.”

As REI continues to struggle, Washburn pointed out that today’s economy isn’t doing the company any favors. Costs for buildings, shipping and insurance are all gradually increasing, but so are workers’ expenses like housing, groceries, utilities and gas. 

“The company is now putting out more money than they were before even though we’re already in debt,” Washburn said. “But then you have the worker side of it, where all these things are going up, but they’re also going up on our end.”

Washburn said on the customer side, a rough economy acts as an incentive to participate in a sale because everything is so expensive. 

“That’s where the union is also battling society,” Washburn said. “Because they (customers) want to go do their adventures, which are already going to be more expensive due to gas now. So why would you want to wait and buy the gear when it’s more expensive?”

Pham said he usually buys his gear secondhand or through good sales, like REI’s garage sale or returned items. He highlighted that it’s better to buy from REI than some place like Amazon.

“I’m more of a thriftier shopper, so I like my deals and things like that,” Pham said. “That’s what brought me in today: the member sale coming up, and just trying to get a good idea of what the sale is, to see if I’d need it or want it.”

Washburn said if anything, one positive impact out of all the chaos and confusion is that the customers are becoming informed. Customers have been wondering more about what’s going on, sparking conversations, and revealing flaws in the company.

“Workers authorized this boycott because REI has shut down every other avenue for co-op members to have a voice,” Ferrer said. “Last year, over 115,000 REI members went to the polls and successfully voted down REI’s slate of board candidates. In response, REI changed its bylaws to allow the board to appoint directors to full, 3-year terms without an election.”

Washburn said at this time, she doesn’t see a solution to REI’s problems.

“Until we can fix some laws and things that corporate America is holding us wage slaves with,” Washburn said, “I don’t think we’ll see progress and help the economy so that companies like REI can get back to full profitability and be able to give our workers everything we need to survive.”