Episode 22: The Co-op Illusion - REI, Union-Busting, and the Fight for Workers' Rights

In episode 22 of Art of Citizenry Podcast, we’re opting outside by centering REI’s labor fight. Manpreet is joined by Emma Harris, a bike and ski shop technician at REI’s SoHo store in New York City. As a member of REI Union SoHo, she serves as an elected member of the union bargaining committee and is part of the store’s Contract Action Team. REI SoHo was the first REI store to unionize. Since 2022, REI employees across the country have been organizing, demanding that the company live up to the values it so proudly markets. Together, we pull back the progressive corporate veil and unpack the ways in which REI has been undermining its mission and worker power through union busting tactics. We also discuss the role of unions and the challenges workers face when they come together to organize. This episode looks at the history of unions in the United States and the important function they serve in ensuring worker rights.

Behind REI’s glossy green sheen and feel-good messaging, workers are fighting a different battle—one for fair wages, safe working conditions, and the right to unionize without retaliation.

Emma Harris (left) and Jennifer Adamson Gill from REI Union Cleveland getting ready to march on REI headquarters in Issaquah, WA in March 2024

Meet Our Guest

Emma Harris (she/her) is a bike and ski shop technician at the REI Flagship store in SoHo, New York City unionized with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). As a member of REI Union SoHo, she serves as an elected member of the union bargaining committee and is part of the store’s Contract Action Team. The REI Union currently consists of workers who have unionized at 11 REI retail stores across the country with either RWDSU or the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW).

Labor Organizing

Labor activism in the United States has experienced a significant resurgence over the past three years and it is being led by young people. Workers have launched successful organizing efforts across industries from Amazon to Ben & Jerry’s to REI. Public support for unions has also reached historic levels, with Gallup polls indicating that 70% of Americans—and nearly 90% of young workers—approve of unions, a level not seen since the 1960s. Despite this increase in momentum and the proven success of worker-led movement efforts, increased labor activism has not translated into greater union density because of two primary reasons according to an article published by the Economic Policy Institute: (1) deeply flawed labor laws and (2) relentless corporate resistance to worker organizing.

Corporations are always going to be looking out for their bottom line, even if they like to brand themselves as “progressive” or “a different kind of company.” I want workers to realize the power that they have in their labor and the connections they form with their coworkers. There is incredible strength in collective action and the only way to make real, structural change in the face of Big Business is to band together and rise up! - Emma Harris

REI’s Union Busting Law Firm

Despite none of its unionized stores securing a collective bargaining agreement, REI maintains that it is negotiating in good faith. From June 2022 until switching law firms, REI SoHo was bargaining with REI through a different law firm, and had made some tentative agreements. However, since bringing on the new law firm, progress has slowed significantly.

REI’s new law firm of choice, ​Morgan Lewis, known for its hardline, union-busting tactics, has a long history of involvement in high-profile anti-union efforts. Their dedicated labor practice dates back to the 1950s. By the 1970s, it had become the most powerful management-side labor practice in the country, frequently appearing in the largest federation of US unions AFL-CIO’s "Report on Union Busting." Their extensive experience in "union avoidance" has made them a prominent choice for corporations aiming to maintain non-unionized workforces.

In January 2024, SpaceX, represented by none other than Morgan Lewis, filed a lawsuit against the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), introducing a new anti-union playbook.

Over the past year, companies like Amazon, Starbucks, Trader Joe’s, alongside SpaceX have intensified efforts to weaken labor rights. Beyond their usual union-busting tactics, these corporations are now actively seeking to have the entire National Labor Relations Board declared unconstitutional. Alongside REI, Morgan Lewis represents Trader Joe’s, Amazon, and SpaceX.

Under the new administration, the NLRB is in upheaval. During his first few weeks in office, Donald Trump fired the NLRB general counselor and removed a board member. While the NLRB’s day-to-day work can continue, the board cannot order parties to pay remedies or recognize a union because it needs three members to make a ruling. With the current situation quite volatile, it is likely that we will begin to see a reversal of many of the pro-labor decisions that have been issued by the board previously.

Emma Harris and REI Union workers from all (at the time nine) unionized stores in Issaquah, Washington as they get ready to march on REI headquarters in March 2024.

The Co-op Illusion

When REI calls itself a cooperative, it means that it operates under a member-owned business model rather than being a traditional publicly traded corporation. In theory, this means that the company is governed by its members—customers who pay a one-time fee to join—rather than by shareholders. REI uses this structure to differentiate itself from conventional retailers, positioning itself as a community-driven organization that reinvests profits back into the business and its members. To reaffirm this sentiment, REI describes a Co-op as “the people it brings together. The we.”

REI markets its cooperative status as a sign of social responsibility, emphasizing community engagement and sustainability initiatives. However, while this cooperative model suggests a more democratic and values-driven approach, in practice, REI functions like a traditional corporation, with a top-down governance structure and executive leadership making key decisions—not its members or workers.

A Call to Action for REI Members

If you are a member, REI’s board of directors vote is officially open. REI has chosen to offer only their handpicked nominees. I encourage you to select “WITHHOLD” to vote against each of REI’s corporate nominees to block them from joining the board. Get involved in the “Vote No” campaign here.

If you are not a member, please remember your voice has power too. Help us amplify the organizing efforts of REI Union members and workers.

Resources & References

Support the Podcast

Art of Citizenry is proudly independent. This allows us to speak with raw honesty about the ways people, brands, and organizations perpetuate colonial legacies. Here, we embrace the power of nuance and unfiltered truth, believing that meaningful growth emerges when we face complexity head-on. Support us as we critically explore, challenge, and unravel mainstream narratives by empowering listeners with accessible, nuanced perspectives. Your support directly sustains our podcast, helping cover the wages of our dedicated three-person team. 

Thank You for Listening 

Please subscribe and leave a five star review for Art of Citizenry wherever you listen to podcasts.

Also, follow along and share your thoughts on Substack - artofcitizenry.substack.com

Manpreet Kalra