The REI Union Movement: What It Means to Love and Challenge the Co-op

In this episode of The Caroline Gleich Show, Caroline sits down with Si-Hua, an REI employee from Durham, North Carolina, who’s been on the frontlines of the growing movement to unionize REI stores across the country. Since helping his store unionize in 2023, Si-Hua has been a key figure in local contract negotiations and the broader national campaign.Caroline, whose own outdoor career began at an REI cash register, shares why this movement matters so deeply to her—and why the co-op’s “People and Planet First” values must extend to its workers.Together, Caroline and Si-Hua discuss what it means to unionize, the challenges workers face in organizing, and what it would take for REI to truly walk its talk. They also cover wins, frustrations, and what gives them hope for the future of retail labor in the outdoor industry.Stay tuned for rapid-fire questions, real talk from the floor, and ways you can support REI workers fighting for a better, more equitable workplace.