Labor advocates picket outside Tacoma REI amid its largest annual sale
About a dozen people crowded the entrance of the Tacoma REI store near the Tacoma Mall on Friday, passing out flyers encouraging shoppers to boycott the outdoor retailer during its largest sale of the year due to alleged union busting.
Employees at the Tacoma REI, 3825 S. Steele St., have been trying to form a union in coordination with other stores around the United States, but REI has not bargained in good faith and is participating in unfair labor practices, said Tacoma resident Sarah Cherin. She’s the chief of staff of the UFCW 3000 labor union, which represents unionized REI workers at the Bellingham store. Cherin has also been helping to negotiate a national REI union contract for the last year and a half.
No Tacoma REI employees were picketing outside the store Friday, only local labor advocates and political candidates advocating on their behalf. You’ll likely see folks outside the store handing out flyers Saturday, and next Friday and Saturday as part of a national boycott employees have organized from May 15-25, the same time as REI’s biggest sale of the year.
So far, 11 REI shops have unionized in the United States, and Bellingham is the only unionized store in Washington, Cherin said. There has been some talk about unionizing at the Tacoma REI, but Tacoma employees are “very scared of retaliation” and did not want to be interviewed, she said. The outdoor retailer is headquartered near Seattle.
Workers nationwide are calling for shoppers to avoid shopping at REI, in person or online, from May 15-25 to stand in solidarity with employees. The website ourrei.com lays out worker concerns and testimonies.
Employees say the company has “sabotaged negotiations with union workers,” “illegally implemented drastic cuts to union workers’ wages and benefits,” “promised to accelerate its AI use in 2026” and “stayed silent on reports detailing widespread discrimination against workers of color and extensively-documented labor rights violations in their supply chain.”
When asked to talk with a manager or REI representative at the store Friday, staff told The News Tribune to reach out to the company’s national public relations line. In response to the allegations, REI sent The News Tribune links to several statements it published on its website, including an article published Friday and on May 2.
In those statements, REI said it takes “collective bargaining seriously and [has] approached contract negotiations with care, consistency, and respect for both the process and our employees’ choice” and believes “deeply in our mission, in serving our members and customers, and in creating a rewarding work environment where employees can thrive.”
REI denied that it “walked away” from labor negotiations with employees or engaged in union busting or “bad faith” labor negotiations. REI also said it “continues to offer above average pay and benefits to all employees” and “is committed to responsible use of AI.”
Cherin said REI has reduced benefits for its workers and has restricted employee hours and use of personal leave. In the winter, it announced reducing benefits company-wide, she said. Some stores have been four years without a union contract, despite regular attempts to bargain with REI, Cherin said. Many employees are concerned about the company’s use of AI, given its significant negative impacts on the environment, she said.
“I think people just really want to see them return to the co-op they used to be,” Cherin said. “I’ve worked in the labor movement for over 20 years, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen workers vote to boycott their own employer, because that’s a serious ask, right, to ask the public to not come patronize your employer. But that’s how deeply these workers feel.”
Some picketers Friday told customers they should shop at local outdoor stores, like Outdoor Recreational Gears on 6th Avenue instead.
Natasha Laitila, who is running for District 29 Position 2 in the state House, said she was there to support workers.
“Unions are the backbone of the middle class, and if we are to improve our communities and to build true economic stability, it can’t be the backs of our middle class in our communities,” she said. “People here at REI are just asking for a fair chance at a [collective bargaining agreement], and corporations can’t be twiddling their thumbs and wasting time, and then give a terrible contract. It needs to be entered in good faith.”
This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 4:07 PM.
