REI article in Seattle Weekly

[Alpine_Tom]

I’m surprised that this hasn’t come up already, since REI comes in for “analysis” on this board just about as often as the Mounties.

 

The new Seattle Weekly’s cover story is about REI, and how it’s lost it’s soul. According to the author, REI has turned into an amazing vehicle for the will of the board of directors, but with none of the tiresome overseeing that a publicly held corporation would have. They don’t have to (and don’t) reveal profits, future plans, or even their executives’ salaries. In short, they have a level of secrecy that the folks at Enron only dreamed about.

 

Saddest of all is this quote from a company brochure explaining the new incentive plans: “Hourly employees have learned that not asking for the sales is really a lack of service, as they’re not helping the customer get totally outfitted so they can get the most from their outdoor adventure. Sales in the name of expert service.”

(the point isn't to figure out what you really need, but what we can get you to buy.)

 

It’s only one reporter’s story, but unfortunately, the whole thing has the absolute ring of truth.

 

If you haven't read it because you've been out climbing or something, it's at: http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0325/news-rei.php

[Kiwi]

Alpine_Tom said:

I’m surprised that this hasn’t come up already, since REI comes in for “analysis” on this board just about as often as the Mounties.

Dude, there are two topics on this already. Not much traffic though. I'm surprised. I expected the threads to get at least two pages of replies.

[AlpineK]

Uhmm sorry pal, but this was posted twice last week.

[catbirdseat]

One of our very own has just gone over to the dark side. I won't say who.

[aint_this_great]

ahem. there are...shall we say...more than a couple folks on this board who work on the dark side. no names mentioned of course. and while we may agree with sundry articles written in the weekly, we also need jobs. I mean "they." "they" need jobs.

[cj001f]

aint_this_great said:

ahem. there are...shall we say...more than a couple folks on this board who work on the dark side. no names mentioned of course. and while we may agree with sundry articles written in the weekly, we also need jobs. I mean "they." "they" need jobs.

 

So the rest of us should just hold are ankles so "they" can have jobs?! Fuck that!

[wayne]

I would encourage the employees to unionize, but mine just voted to authorize a strike. In the long run its worth it though.

[Alpine_Tom]

I don't object to the employees of REI wanting to keep their jobs, any more than I object to the employees of Nordstrom having jobs. It's just that the store has no more to do with me than Nordstrom does. I'd always assumed that there was something special about a co-op, now I see that (according to the CEO of REI) it's simply a convenient way to finance the growth of this big, high-profit retail organization without the inconvenience of having to answer to owners.

 

As Edward Abbee said, "growth for growth's sake is the ideology of the cancer cell."

[Rodchester]

it's simply a convenient way to finance the growth of this big, high-profit retail organization without the inconvenience of having to answer to owners.

 

Well actually there are rather strict rules set forth by the IRS ( ) that do not allow what most others "S" corps see as profit. The money has to be spent on the bsuiness, the members, or on other projects (Such as supporting enviro projects).

 

 

Not saying that I like what is going on, but they are not a high-profit retail organization.

[cj001f]

Rodchester said:Not saying that I like what is going on, but they are not a high-profit retail organization.

There aren't any high-profit retailers remaining (that sell legal goods).

[JoshK]

The unfortunate thing is that is what the dividend is supposed to be for...returning profits to the co-op members. Unfortunately it instead goes to opening yet another store in bumble-fuck, nowhere.

[marylou]

This is your golden opportunity, retail employees:

 

UNIONIZE!

[Sloth_Man]

The reason there's no traffic on this subject is because REI left us real climbers and hikers behind long ago in pursuit of the downtown North Face wearin poser crowd.

 

They sell pillows and designer clothes now.

 

Their sales staff has known less about gear than I do for about 15 years.

 

They have nothing that I can't get elswhere from people I actually care about like Second Ascent and Pro Mountain.

 

So who cares about REI. It's just another Starbucks to most of us.

[Rodchester]

This is your golden opportunity, retail employees:

 

UNIONIZE!

 

Because God knows that will solve everything.

 

This is your golden opportunity, retail employees:

 

ARM YOURSELVES AND TAKE THE BASTILLE!!!

 

[eternalX]

Unionize? unions don't make sense any more. If you don't like your job or pay, quit.

 

 

[Fence_Sitter]

marylou said:

This is your golden opportunity, retail employees:

 

UNIONIZE!

 

bwa ha ha ha get $.10 an hour more after paying $.20 an hour to your union!

[Fence_Sitter]

cj001f said:

aint_this_great said:

ahem. there are...shall we say...more than a couple folks on this board who work on the dark side. no names mentioned of course. and while we may agree with sundry articles written in the weekly, we also need jobs. I mean "they." "they" need jobs.

 

So the rest of us should just hold are ankles so "they" can have jobs?! Fuck that!

 

uh dood what kinda REI have you been going to!

[cj001f]

Fence_Sitter said:

cj001f said:

aint_this_great said:

ahem. there are...shall we say...more than a couple folks on this board who work on the dark side. no names mentioned of course. and while we may agree with sundry articles written in the weekly, we also need jobs. I mean "they." "they" need jobs.

 

So the rest of us should just hold are ankles so "they" can have jobs?! Fuck that!

 

uh dood what kinda REI have you been going to!

Burnside?

[Fence_Sitter]

sure it wasn't in san fran?

[Ursa_Eagle]

depending on the part of bunside........

[slothrop]

eternalX said:

Unionize? unions don't make sense any more. If you don't like your job or pay, quit.

 

You're joking, right? It's not 1998 anymore. I know a guy who just graduated with a computer science degree from CMU (!) and is having to do part-time contracting because he can't find a full-time job. Three years ago, any idiot with a CS degree got $50k/year. Now someone who graduates from one of the best CS programs in the country doesn't have a single job offer before leaving campus. The times have changed, bucko.

 

I'd like to see the developers at Amazon.com unionize.

[Rodchester]

You're joking, right? It's not 1998 anymore. I know a guy who just graduated with a computer science degree from CMU (!) and is having to do part-time contracting because he can't find a full-time job. Three years ago, any idiot with a CS degree got $50k/year. Now someone who graduates from one of the best CS programs in the country doesn't have a single job offer before leaving campus. The times have changed, bucko.

 

You are correct...but won't they change again? ANd what will unions to do stop this / or change this situtation?

 

I'm not totally anti-union. I just don't see it as an end all be all, like many do.

[slothrop]

Yeah, being in a union wouldn't have saved your dot-com job. But people were happy with those jobs because they were making tons of cash and getting to wear sandals and shorts every day. Don't need a union there.

 

If jobs aren't so easy to find, the way to improve your working conditions is to a) start your own company or b) change things from the inside. Big companies or stable, mature industries have a hard time giving a shit about the concerns of individual workers, so eventually those workers want more clout and form a union to get what they want.