Tonight, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) announced that workers at Reconsidered Goods in Greensboro, North Carolina voted unanimously to unionize. This is now the second retail store in the area in a month to join the RWDSU. Workers at the thrift store faced an uphill battle to get to their union vote when the company tried to exclude two workers from the unit. Last month, workers went on strike over the issue and won in less than 24 hours, with the company agreeing to let all eligible workers vote in the union election.

Tonight, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) announced that workers at the REI Co-op in Greensboro, North Carolina voted to join the RWDSU, making REI Greensboro the eleventh unionized REI store in the country. REI Greensboro workers first began organizing in the wake of REI’s October 2023 round of layoffs, which cut the jobs of 275 of the most experienced workers, known as “leads,” from stores across the Co-op. In Greensboro, two of the most tenured lead retail sales specialists were laid off, beloved coworkers who were known to embody REI’s signature “Co-op Way.” Greensboro workers proudly unite with green vests organizing under the banner of the REI Union from coast to coast, fighting for fair pay, guaranteed hours, a clear path to full-time status, and transfer opportunities within the company. 

Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) issued the following statement on the decision in the consolidated complaint against Amazon regarding the election at Amazon in Bessemer, Alabama, originally filed on November 20, 2020…

By an overwhelming vote of 85% in favor of the union, workers at the Barnes & Noble 82nd Street Store on the Upper West Side of Manhattan have voted to join the RWDSU. Their win follows six overwhelming union votes nationwide by workers at Barnes & Noble Inc. and one at Barnes & Noble Education so far. Workers at this store now join two other unionized stores in New York City including the Flagship at Union Square and the Park Slope, Brooklyn store. There have also been a streak of wins by the RWDSU at independent booksellers in the area, including McNally Jackson, Goods for the Study, Greenlight Bookstore and Book Culture.