REI workers call for nationwide boycott of annual sale amid ongoing labour dispute

Some 70,000 REI workers and shoppers have pledged to boycott the outdoor retailer’s annual Anniversary Sale this May, calling on consumers nationwide to join them.

The call to action comes as the latest round of contract negotiations between the company and unionised employees ended without an agreement.

“REI has refused to offer us a fair contract, despite our willingness to compromise,” said Alex Pollitt, a worker at the company’s Bellingham, Washington, store. “The company has left us no choice but to boycott.”

Article continues below

The American retail giant is a significant player in the American cycling market, selling bikes from brands including Cannondale, Salsa and Brompton, and acting as a service partner for direct-to-consumer brands such as Canyon.

Organisers say the boycott is intended to pressure the company to return to the bargaining table with what they describe as a fair contract offer.

REI pushed back on the union’s claims, saying it has been bargaining in good faith. In a recent statement, the company said it came to negotiations prepared to reach an agreement, but the sides were unable to do so. The retailer described the planned boycott as “disappointing” and warned it could negatively affect employees, jobs and the business.

“It seems the union’s focus is on harming the financial wellbeing of the business, instead of advancing negotiations,” the statement reads. “The union’s dedication to undermining the business puts jobs, wages, benefits, and future opportunity at risk, and pulls everyone further from the progress our employees deserve. Every day spent escalating a public conflict is a day not spent at the bargaining table working to reach an agreement.”

The current dispute involves employees at 11 unionised REI stores across the United States. Workers have raised concerns about wages, benefits and working conditions, and the union has also alleged broader concerns about company policies and direction.

REI has faced financial challenges in recent years, and some cost-saving measures impacting its employees appear to have been taken. According to reporting by Bloomberg, the company plans to scale back some of its employee benefits and lower the starting pay for new hires beginning July 1, 2026.

The boycott follows a series of labour actions at REI since workers began unionising in 2022, including walkouts and protests, as negotiations toward a first contract have continued.

REI’s Anniversary Sale is one of the company’s largest promotional events and will take place May 15-25.