More than two years after they sewed athletic garments for the REI label, over twenty garment workers and monolingual Chinese immigrant women have still not been paid for their labor. REI has established itself as the largest consumer cooperative in the nation, with more than 2 million members and an image of progressive philanthropy. Unfortunately, at least twenty workers contracted by GNT, Inc., a subcontractor used by many notorious sweatshop labels, have still yet to be paid the wages that were promised to them. While they all distinctly remember sewing REI label after label onto clothing, REI denies the workers' claims and has refused to reveal who it subcontracted with, stating only that it would "never" do so with a company using such tactics. Many wonder at the lack of transparency, especially given that, according to one local REI employee, REI makes well over $27,000 a day. That's one dollar for every square foot in an average REI store, yet they have continued stonewalling over such a small amount. Perhaps that's because this "co-op" puts dollar signs before worker's rights, with active members in 2003 receiving $41 million in profits.

On May 12, REI workers and employees, along with members of the Asian Law Caucus and the Chinese Progressive Association held a press conference and community picket outside of the year-old San Francisco REI store. Video