Union-backed REI workers and their allies are threatening a boycott of the co-op’s Denver flagship at the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte, as contract talks with company leaders remain stalled. Organizers say they are aiming squarely at REI’s mid‑May Anniversary Sale to ratchet up pressure, turning a national labor fight into a hyper-local test of member and shopper loyalty that traces back to the first REI store unionizing in 2022.
On April 18, union supporters unfurled a 25‑foot banner along the South Platte River Trail that read “Time’s Up, Fair Contract or BOYCOTT,” according to the Denver Gazette. The outlet reports that the REI Union now formally represents workers at 11 REI stores across the country, none of them in Colorado, and that the group has relied on member votes and public actions to push its case.
Union Authorizes Boycott Vote
The REI Union says an “overwhelming majority” of unionized employees voted to authorize a boycott of the co-op’s Anniversary Sale if no contract is in place, according to a UFCW press release. Union leaders contend that REI declared an impasse in late February, then rolled out unilateral changes to benefits and starting pay, a sequence they say left workers feeling they had to move to a consumer-facing tactic.
REI Pushes Back
REI has pushed back on the boycott threat, warning that an action aimed at the Anniversary Sale “could have real, lasting consequences” for jobs and benefits, and saying it “strongly disagrees with the union’s characterization of recent events,” according to Retail Dive. The co-op says it is still bargaining toward a national structure and that its proposals emphasize competitive pay and benefits.
Why the Anniversary Sale Matters
The Anniversary Sale is the co-op’s largest retail event and typically floods stores with member traffic in mid‑May. REI counts about 25 million members and uses the sale as a major revenue driver, according to REI Co-op. The company also reported a $156.4 million net loss in 2024, a number executives have pointed to when explaining recent adjustments to pay and benefits.
Local Shoppers and Wages
Denver’s flagship store at 1416 Platte Street anchors Confluence Park but is not among the 11 unionized locations, according to local reporting. Typical starting pay at REI falls in the roughly $15 to $20 per hour range, based on Glassdoor data, while the City and County of Denver has set the local minimum wage at $19.29 per hour for 2026, per the City and County of Denver. Those figures help explain why pay and benefits sit at the center of the current bargaining fight.
What’s Next
The union says it will announce a final decision on whether to move ahead with a boycott by May 1. If it proceeds, organizers plan to urge members and supporters to steer clear of REI stores during the Anniversary Sale period, according to the UFCW. Both sides publicly insist they are still willing to negotiate, while union leaders describe the threatened boycott as a last-resort tactic after months of stalled talks.
For Denver shoppers and nearby retailers, the next few weeks will show whether REI’s member base and worker organizing can turn a corporate labor dispute into a full-fledged consumer action, and whether the co-op’s carefully cultivated public image holds steady under the glare.
