REI Accused of Widespread Labour Law Violations at Unionised US Stores

REI, the tenting and out of doors sports activities gear retailer, was accused on Wednesday of dozens of violations of US labour regulation at eight retail shops which have unionised since final 12 months.

Staff at shops in New York, California, Chicago and Boston, amongst others, filed a complete of 80 complaints with the Nationwide Labour Relations Board (NLRB) searching for to drive the corporate to cut price with their unions.

The complaints declare that REI has retaliated towards pro-union staff, restructured jobs and altered working situations with out enter from the unions, in addition to stalled bargaining with unions that received elections on the shops.

The labour board investigates employee complaints earlier than deciding whether or not to pursue formal circumstances towards employers. These prices are heard by administrative judges, whose selections will be appealed to the five-member NLRB after which to federal appeals courts.

Sumner, Washington-based REI, additionally identified by its full identify Leisure Tools, mentioned in an announcement that it disagrees with the claims within the complaints.

“We’re dedicated and engaged in good-faith bargaining with shops which have chosen union illustration and can proceed to take part totally within the negotiating course of,” the corporate mentioned.

The corporate, which has about 180 shops and 15,000 workers nationwide, has mentioned that current adjustments to job titles and staff’ schedules have been unrelated to union organising.

The union marketing campaign at REI is a part of a nationwide wave of labour organizing that started in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic and has included Starbucks baristas, Amazon warehouse staff, workers of a number of online game makers and Apple retail staff, amongst others.

The unionised shops are represented by the United Meals and Business Staff Worldwide Union and the Retail, Wholesale and Division Retailer Union. In statements supplied by the unions, a number of REI workers mentioned the corporate’s actions have infringed on their rights to freely select union illustration.

“As an alternative of acknowledging our collective voice and our proper to kind a union, we confronted sturdy opposition from administration within the type of retaliation, misinformation, and disrespect for fundamental labor regulation,” mentioned Anni Saludo, a gross sales specialist at an REI retailer in Durham, North Carolina.

The complaints come after workers at REI shops in Chicago, Boston and Minnesota staged walkouts final month to protest layoffs and adjustments to working situations.

By Daniel Wiessner

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