REI Workers in San Diego File to Unionize

April 28, 2026

Employees at San Diego’s REI store have filed to unionize, REI Union announced Monday, with the aim of joining United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 135, the largest private-sector union in the region.

Workers voted to unionize to ensure “fair pay, sustainable scheduling practices, and better working conditions,” according to the statement. If successful, the location would be the third in California and the 12th and largest REI store in the country to unionize since organizing efforts began in 2022. No locations have successfully negotiated a contract despite four years of collective bargaining. 

The release said REI’s San Diego location is the co-op’s third-largest in the country by revenue. SGB