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Two Years After Being Fired, REI Union Organizer in Durham Wins Settlement

  • Writer: Durham Dispatch
    Durham Dispatch
  • Mar 31
  • 2 min read
Mr. Pitts and his REI co-workers
Image credit: Instagram page of REI Union Durham

An REI Union organizer fired in May 2023 has reached a settlement with the outdoor retailer. Steven Pitts, a leader of the union drive at REI’s Durham location, was fired after workers went on strike over withheld benefits. On March 20, REI Union Durham announced the victory and thanked supporters for standing with Mr. Pitts and their cause [1] [2].


The workers' statement said, "not only did Steven win what he was owed, but it’s a testament to the power we have when we come together and use our collective voice to stand up for what we deserve!"

 

Firing employees for union organizing is illegal, but enforcement has been weak since the Reagan administration, allowing companies to dismiss pro-union workers with little consequence. Mr. Pitts’ termination led to increased community support for REI Union Durham and widespread criticism of the company, including by Senator Bernie Sanders [3].

 

Since REI Union was founded in May 2022, workers at 11 of the company’s stores nationwide have successfully won union elections. In response, REI retained law firm Morgan Lewis to lead a union avoidance campaign. Anti-union lawyers often make hundreds of dollars an hour in their repellent trade, while the workers they're suppressing make a fraction of that.

 

Mr. Pitts' settlement was assisted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which took a more worker-friendly stance under the Biden administration, a shift from four decades of heavy corporate bias. Under the Trump administration, the NLRB is being stacked with anti-union figures, including a partner from Morgan Lewis.

 

REI Union Durham represents workers at the company's location in the Renaissance Center, which is across from the Southpoint Mall. Over the past two years, the local union has managed to find community support and form ties with Durham Association of Educators, CAUSE, Southern Workers Assembly, and other pro-worker groups.

 

In May 2024, dozens of community members and Durham city council member Nate Baker attended a rally celebrating the one-year anniversary of REI Union Durham [4]. At the event, supporters called on the company to engage in good-faith contract negotiations. REI has stalled contract negotiations for years, a common union-busting tactic in the US which is illegal in many other countries.

 

Work Cited

 

  1. “REI Union Durham post.” Instagram, 20 March 2025, www.instagram.com/p/DHblTvzTHnc/.

  2. “REI Union Durham post.” X (formerly Twitter), 10 May 2023, https://x.com/reiuniondurham/status/1656457491629105153.

  3. “Bernie Sanders post.” X (formerly Twitter), 4 May 2023, https://x.com/BernieSanders/status/1654227536669188105.

  4. “Durham REI Workers Celebrate One-Year Union Anniversary With Community Rally.” Durham Dispatch, 28 May 2024, www.durhamdispatch.com/post/durham-rei-workers-celebrate-one-year-union-anniversary-with-community-rally

 
 
 
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