The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ordered REI to reinstate a Eugene worker who was fired during a May 2023 unionization effort and pay her full back pay and other damages.
Union supporter Lindlee Hamlin — an 11-year REI bike shop employee — was terminated for clocking in more than seven minutes before her scheduled start time without a manager’s approval. Clocking in early was against store policy, but other workers said it was a common practice and hadn’t led to any discipline in other instances.
United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555 had majority support on April 10, 2023 when it asked the NLRB to hold a union election. But by the time the election took place May 30, support had dwindled, and the union effort failed in a 20-26 vote…