Workers at the REI store in Santa Cruz have voted by a margin of 33 to 12 be represented by Local 5. They will join their coworkers at nine other REI locations across the country including those at the Berkely store where negotiations for a first contract have been ongoing for nearly a year.

Jude Holladay, an employee at the newly unionized store, expressed the excitement of the staff members who are known as “green vests” regarding their opportunity to join a nation-wide movement of REI workers.

“We want to be able to wear the green vests with pride and feel like the Co-op has our backs. We came to work here because we were guided by our deep love for the outdoors and the Co-op way. Now, REI appears to have abandoned their core values in favor of a top-down corporate approach. We look forward to bargaining for a fair contract and encourage more stores across the country to join us.”