Hundreds of REI workers laid off

Employees in the 'lead' role at REI stores will be laid off and a new staffing model will be implemented, REI Vice President of Stores Mary-Farrel Tarbox announced in an email to workers on Friday.

According to an email from Tarbox, 275 employees will be laid off.

These are not the first layoffs announced this year for REI. In early 2023, REI announced that 167 people in corporate positions would be laid off, impacting about 8% of their headquarters staff.

[thelatenightattempts]

Well, I'll never spend another dime at REI. This is not the way.

[carolelindner]

Very disappointed in REI's action. So disrespectful towards long-time Staff. Will make purchases elsewhere until this is rectified.

[AndrewLei-ch]

Thank you for your dedication but we found someone who can do your job for less . 😢

[Cucumberflavoredmustard]

REI should be less concerned with politics and social stuff, and more concerned with offering quality outdoor gear at fair prices.

[HeronPoint]

unions have been sandbaggred and lost negotiating power since the eighties started contracting out and so called temp labor. wish them well, but laywers in labor law are very, very expensive and it's a fight you probably won't win.

[CircaBEFORE]

Uh oh, I predict REI is gonna get a letter from NLRB really soon.

[k.chriscaldwell]

Retail workers don’t make much anyways. So such a despicable maneuver reveals their dire condition. The holiday workers may not get their last check.

[Moondoggy]

There is a balance between wages and long term employment, I guess the workers will get to know that fact. Many have learned that lesson that the hard way. I am sorry for the loss of their good sales staff, I have always enjoyed going there, I guess they are following Best Buy model, that store is painful to go to now.

[nathanbrownmolotov]

The reason I go out of my way to shop at REI as a member is because it is a Co-op that gives me the ability to vote for the 14 member board. As an REI Co-op Member I would like to remind the Board and Management that Anti-Union activities are a clear violation of Federal Law. Private Sector Employees are protected by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) passed in 1935. Section 7 states, “Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection, and shall also have the right to refrain from any or all of such activities” If the REI Board and Management continue to support the company's Anti-Worker Rights, and Union Busting activities I will no longer support REI as a customer. I will also recommend by friends and family do the same.

[TheJHMAN]

I have not shopped REI in decades. Was way over priced never went back.

[thuggoe]

rei should stop pushing outdoor diversity and pride movement

[paullapointe]

I'm a long time shopper at REI, for more than 30 years. They generally have good merch and knowledgeable and helpful staff, but they are about 20% over the price that one can get for identical gear on Amazon or EBay. So unless there is a sale, you are often better off looking at the gear and trying it on in person, and then buying it elsewhere. Such is life in retail in the 21st century. I would also add that the folks who work at these low-paying jobs, if they now care about their wages, maybe should have put forth the effort in high school and gone to college and sacrificed a bit when they were in their 20's.