REI says it was a ‘mistake’ to endorse Trump interior secretary

2 years ago by MicroWave to c/news

Summary

REI apologized for endorsing Trump interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum, citing backlash over his support for fossil fuel drilling and deregulation.

CEO Mary Beth Laughton, who took over March 31, called the endorsement “a mistake” and pledged to refocus REI on protecting public lands.

The co-op will lead a new coalition, Brands for Public Lands, to lobby for conservation.

The REI Union, which had criticized the endorsement, praised the retraction. The company also faces legal challenges over alleged anti-union practices and benefits withholding.

not_that_guy05 129 points 2 years ago

Oh no. Anyways, still on my list of places not to buy.

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KingGordon 80 points 2 years ago

Right? They cant have it both ways. Dine with a nazi and you’re a nazi. Simple as that.

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knightly 47 points 2 years ago

Maybe once they recognize the union and give them everything they ask for. 'Til then they get none of my money.

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BossDj 40 points 2 years ago

On that note, the Union requests that all REI members (if you have an REI account, this means you) vote in the board election.

The union was backing two candidates for the board. The current board, however, has intentionally left the pro-union candidates off the ballot.

REI's union would like you to log in and vote "Withhold" for all three current candidates. It takes only a few minutes!

A "Withhold" majority vote would result in the candidates not joining the board.

Here are details on how to vote: https://www.ourrei.com/2025-rei-board-elections

To be able to vote, you must have made a purchase at REI in 2024 tied to your account.

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knightly 10 points 2 years ago

Sadly, I've been boycotting them since 2022.

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BackgrndNoize 6 points 2 years ago

It says my member number is incorrect when I try to register. I'm gonna have to contact their support for this

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unsettlinglymoist 2 points 2 years ago

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ameancow 8 points 2 years ago

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nomy 4 points 2 years ago

Where will I get a $47 headlamp though?

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Jaysyn 100 points 2 years ago

Don't care. REI is dead to me.

Shop at Academy instead, they don't give to any political parties & their employees mostly give to non-Fascist groups.

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ElDuderino96 14 points 2 years ago

Is this true? I’m a fan of Academy. Don’t let me down.

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BakerBagel 46 points 2 years ago

Academy is iwned by the same Private Equity firm that tanked Toys-R-Us. They are also the only national retailer that sells AR-15's. Corporations are not your friends. You should not idolize them

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ElDuderino96 50 points 2 years ago

Picking and choosing which retailer you buy your goods from based on their business practices is HARDLY idolizing them.

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raoulduke85 11 points 2 years ago

So yall don’t have pics of Toys R Us that you pray to every morning?

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imsufferableninja 23 points 2 years ago

Thanks, I was wondering where to go to pick up an AR-15

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ProfHillbilly 20 points 2 years ago

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Tempus_Fugit 1 point 2 years ago

Honestly, at least around my parts, gun stores are charging at least $200 over online prices, that includes big box stores. Best to take the online route. You'll have to ship to an FFL, so best to check which ones are the cheapest (any gun store is an FFL). Mine only charges $50.

If you're concerned about politics, I'd say let the gun industry slide, it's full of right-wingers and not worth it to sift through them. Honestly, you might be surprised how much of a leftist message many of them sympathize with. You'll have to be the judge on who is cool or not, people are people.

Best to do your research on which rifle you want, there is a plethora. For cheap while decent quality, many folks like the budget PSA AR-15s for as little as $400. A lot of folks will buy a cheap lower like the PA-15 for around $150 and attach a better quality upper as the lower isn't the most important. The lower is the only regulated part that needs to be picked up from an FFL.

Lastly, if you purchase any firearm, learn it and practice. Know every detail about it as you'll be tearing it down and cleaning it every so often. Above all else, be safe and have fun.

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dual_sport_dork 10 points 2 years ago

They are also the only national retailer that sells AR-15’s.

Eh, what? Cabelas/Bass Pro Shops are certainly nationwide.

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Jaysyn 1 point 2 years ago

Yes, it's true. Check OpenSecrets.org.

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noxypaws 80 points 2 years ago

REI is corpo scum. They are not a co-op. This retraction is nice to hear but ultimately meaningless as long as they continue forcing corpo trash board candidates into their rigged board elections system.

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theparadox 34 points 2 years ago

Their union has done a decent job of documenting some of their behavior. This wasn't an anomaly.

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SeaJ 78 points 2 years ago

This combined with them being anti union means I won't be shopping there for a while.

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rickyrigatoni 41 points 2 years ago

how you gonna call yourself a co-op and be anti-union

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SeaJ 31 points 2 years ago

The board is cooperative with their bank accounts. 🙂

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disguy_ovahea 62 points 2 years ago

This is beyond not knowing their customer base. Where are people going to hike once national Parks are clear cut?

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ameancow 26 points 2 years ago

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partial_accumen 45 points 2 years ago

So odd that REI put themselves with this group. They look very out of place in this group.

Here are the other signatories on that letter from January supporting Burgum:

American Bus Association
American Horse Council
American Prairie
American Sportfishing Association
Archery Trade Association
Association of Marina Industries
Boat U.S.
CHM Government Services
Diving Equipment & Marketing Association
Eddyline Kayaks
International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association
Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
Motorcycle Industry Council
National Forest Recreation Association
National Marine Manufacturers Association
National Park Hospitality Association
National Ski Areas Association
National Wild Turkey Federation
Outdoor Hospitality Industry
Outdoor Industry Association
Paddlesports Trade Coalition
PeopleForBikes
Professional TrailBuilders Association
Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association
REI Co-op
RV Dealers Association
RV Industry Association
Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals
Specialty Equipment Market Association
Specialty Vehicle Institute of America
Sports & Fitness Industry Association
The Corps Network

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dual_sport_dork 60 points 2 years ago

REI turned corporate or at least pro-corporate shortly after the pandemic. This all went down probably not coincidentally right after they hired an ex-Amazon exec, Cameron Janes, to be their "Chief Commercial Officer."

They're turning into another profit motivated shitshow and have become explicitly anti-union, hostile to their own labor, and also hostile to their own customers. They did this in the name of making more money, but given that it pissed off swath of their core customer base who are probably more vocal, left leaning, and activist than the average bunch of consumers who all quit buying from them, I'm pretty sure this wasn't a net gain.

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aegis_sum 21 points 2 years ago

REI was already fully transitioned from a co-op to another big box store well before that.

REI has consistently hired executives and board members with backgrounds in traditional retail and other for-profit ventures since 2010.

They have chosen to run REI like their prior companies, focusing on margins and profitability rather than its primary responsibility, the members.

They have continued to open new stores and over extend themselves because profit must go up, though the main revenue generator for them is the membership fee. And because it is a one time fee, rather than recurring, they have to continue to open new stores to stay profitable.

On top of no longer acting like a co-op, REI has decided to fight its employees unionization efforts. Numerous REI stores have voted to unionize, and REI has refused to recognize the unions, in some cases for years at this point. REI has also hired notorious union- busting lawyers, removed PPE from repair shops, and illegally laid off dozens of individuals.

REI is now clearing house; laying off long term staff and replacing them with new, less expensive, and less knowledgeable employees. In 2010 the average camping department employee got 15+ hours of training; whereas by 2018 it was less than 4 hours.

REI is following exactly in the footsteps of Mountain Equipment Co-Op in Canada. Once on par with REI, MEC is just another shell of a company raped by private equity. And unfortunately for a lot of good people, I think REI will suffer a similar fate.

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dual_sport_dork 6 points 2 years ago

I'd argue it already has. I no longer shop there and haven't done so for years, nor does anyone else I know in any of my hiking/backpacking/rock climbing/riding circles.

Knowing full well that they measure their "success" via their membership count, I also bullied them into cancelling my membership several years ago. That was an interesting experience.

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aegis_sum 5 points 2 years ago

Nice job getting the membership cancelled.

I worked there for the better part of a decade, but got out when I saw the writing on the wall. Unfortunately, I still have friends working there.

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oatscoop 7 points 2 years ago

I contacted their customer support and had them delete my account. I also sent them an email as to why, and stated I'd be telling everyone I know not to shop at REI.

Fuck them.

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gravitas_deficiency 12 points 2 years ago

Yeah honestly I was completely baffled by that move

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snekerpimp 4 points 2 years ago

They saw the rv industry in elbow deep and decided to go lock step?

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lka1988 45 points 2 years ago

No shit, everybody knew Trump and his team of morons was exactly that - fucking morons.

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Franklin 9 points 2 years ago

don't forget corrupt

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lka1988 9 points 2 years ago

I though that fact was fairly obvious, but you're absolutely right.

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errer 43 points 2 years ago

REI makes a large amount of money selling bikes which almost entirely come from China. This about-face is purely a reaction to tariffs and the Orange turd affecting their bottom line, not some moral epiphany.

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sploosh 35 points 2 years ago

I'm an REI member and I hadn't voted in a board election until this. I voted against all of them.

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AngryCommieKender 16 points 2 years ago

I'm also an REI member, how do we vote?

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deegeese 8 points 2 years ago

No on all.

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AngryCommieKender 17 points 2 years ago

I mean how, as in "what is the process to be able to vote?" I haven't seen anything about the board meetings or votes.

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deegeese 15 points 2 years ago

Log in to your account? Check your email? I got an email about it a few weeks ago.

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ProfHillbilly 32 points 2 years ago

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Marleyinoc 2 points 2 years ago

They endorsed a Trump nominee, I thought. Or was still enough for me to vote withhold and I'm not likely to shop there until it's clear all the rot is removed.

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TomMasz 26 points 2 years ago

Damn, even REI. The disappointments won't stop coming.

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dual_sport_dork 41 points 2 years ago

Not a case of "even REI." REI revealed themselves into just another boardroom full of bad guys in 2022 and have not improved since.

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RizzRustbolt 26 points 2 years ago

"We just wanted to treat our employees like slaves! Why is he doing this to us?"

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SSNs4evr 24 points 2 years ago

"We have many values, but the most valuable value to us is profit, far and away. As a business pursuing profit above all else, supporting this administration, and always being ready and willing to bootlick, anywhere, anytime, at a moments notice, was thought to be our best shot at the highest profitability possible for our members. Unfortunately, like most of the supporters of trump, his administration, and his best-picked people, we're left embarrassed, and holding a (figurative) bag of shit, with nothing to show for it except for smelly hands. Sorry. Can we get a do-over?"

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nthavoc 12 points 2 years ago

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samus12345 22 points 2 years ago

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conditional_soup 19 points 2 years ago

"why golly golly gumdrops we had no idea asshole mcbabyeater was a baby eating freak that wanted to eat our babies, we just thought he would let us dump out trash in the local pond and lower our taxes. We take full responsibility for this one, so we're going to start a branding coalition. Sorry, guys :("

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skozzii 18 points 2 years ago

Resign, they endorsed because they thought they would be the winners, turns out it wasn't the popular move they thought it was, now watch them burn.

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Marleyinoc 4 points 2 years ago

Is it a new board because I'm pretty sure we all voted withhold.

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ImADifferentBird 17 points 2 years ago

No shit.

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FlyingSpaceCow 5 points 2 years ago

Yeah I have a friend from the UK who voted for Brexit. He regrets it now and I'm like: "WHAT DID YOU THINK WAS GOING TO HAPPEN?!"

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Freshparsnip 16 points 2 years ago

Trumps entires presidency is a big oopsie

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boolean_sledgehammer 12 points 2 years ago

Choke on every rhino dick in Africa, REI.

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ILikeBoobies 6 points 2 years ago

That’s not that many (╥﹏╥)

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bizzle 1 point 2 years ago

How many do you think it takes?

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rivan 11 points 2 years ago

Too fucking late

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Whirling_Ashandarei 10 points 2 years ago

Sigh. Where do I shop instead? Anywhere that actually supports cooperative efforts?

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invno1 2 points 2 years ago

Eastern Mountain Sports maybe? I have no idea how that company is run though.

from Wikipedia:

On September 3, 2024, the chain was acquired by British Outdoor retailer Mountain Warehouse for $10 million. Mountain Warehouse plans to expand the company and open as many as 100 new stores over the next few years.

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dual_sport_dork 1 point 2 years ago

Maybe as part of those 100 new stores they can re-open one of the three around me that they abruptly closed several years ago. One of those was one of their "flagship" stores and had about the same square footage as one of the larger REI locations and seemed to be doing a brisk business right up until the end. So I'm not sure what was up with that. My nearest EMS is now 120+ miles away which is a bit silly if all I need is some chalk or something.

I did score some mega-clearance stuff back then, though. So that was neat. Like a pair of Gore Tex Ascent pants for $15 or thereabouts.

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qjkxbmwvz 10 points 2 years ago

We're in the market for a kid carrying ebike, and while REI makes the most financial sense, I think we'll be paying a visit to our LBS.

As an aside, I tend to prefer Sports Basement. Have had better luck with their bike department, too. No idea if they're better from a corporate standpoint though.

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_haha_oh_wow_ 6 points 2 years ago

LBS FTW

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ripcord 6 points 2 years ago

Hell yeah on LBS.

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Meshuggah333 9 points 2 years ago

There's no apology that can correct any of this lol, good luck.

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Quill7513 6 points 2 years ago

if you're a probable or likely rei shopper looking for an alternative, check out garage grown gear

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SoftestSapphic 4 points 2 years ago

When the mask accidentally slips.

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Bakkoda 4 points 2 years ago

The finding out stage is upon us

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fmstrat 3 points 2 years ago

A mistake like that gets people fired.

It is being called a mistake because it's costing them more money than they thought it would.

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griff 2 points 2 years ago

Bei Bei REI!!!

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NauticalNoodle 2 points 2 years ago

hmm, I knew of neither of these issues before buying a membership just last month. That sucks.

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Sam_Bass 1 point 2 years ago

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