The REI Union is encouraging all REI co-op members, customers, and casual outdoors people to participate in its new letter writing campaign to Mary Beth Laughton, REI’s new chief executive officer. The purpose of the campaign, which follows the success of the “Vote No” effort to reject corporate-backed Board of Directors candidates, is to keep up the pressure to reverse the company’s anti-union and anti-environment behavior.
While the UFCW’s national REI campaign has been successful in organizing 11 REI stores in New York, California, Ohio, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Washington, Minnesota and Indiana, REI leadership has taken dozens of illegal actions to slow the tide on unionization at the co-op. These actions include hiring an anti-union law firm to represent the company; refusing to bargain with unionized REI employees; and laying off over 1,000 REI workers over the past two years. The company also excluded two pro-climate, pro-worker candidates from its Board of Directors ballot, which was addressed during the “Vote No” effort.
The REI Union has created a form to help participants write a letter to Laughton. Once you fill out the form, the REI Union will mail Laughton a letter with your name on it.
Please join us in making meaningful change at REI! The letter writing form is available here, and you can learn more about the REI Union here.