On April 18, workers at the REI store in Santa Cruz voted 32-12 in favor of forming a union. The workers filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board on March 14, at which time they announced their intent to join United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) Local 5. The national effort to unionize REI stores has been spearheaded by the organization REI Union. The Santa Cruz REI store is the second REI location in the Bay Area to unionize, and the tenth nationwide. In Santa Cruz, workers say they are unionizing for fair pay, sustainable schedule practices, and better working conditions.

"I'm proud to stand with my coworkers and take this first step towards a better REI for workers, consumers, and the larger outdoor community," said Truitt Archibald, an REI Sales Specialist at the Santa Cruz store, in a press release issued on March 14.

"As green vest, it's our hard work and expertise that make REI the brand that it is," Archibald said. "We deserve the compensation respect, and safer working conditions that only a union contract can guarantee."​

REI Workers in Santa Cruz Vote to Unionize

See Also: REI Union Chicago Workers Walk Out on ULP Strike