REI repair shop workers are going on strike over work conditions
Eight workers at the Soho location of REI walked off the job this week, protesting work conditions in the ski repair shop that they say are hazardous to their health.
The workers at REI’s bike and ski repair shop earlier this year had raised concerns about health risks from chemical exposure, prompting an OSHA investigation and a $4,500 settlement. The subway-level workshop is the workplace for eight employees who repair and maintain anywhere from a dozen to 35 pairs of skis a day. Their tasks require burning up plastic, melting wax and working with metal grip, and workers say they are worried about the risks to their respiratory systems as they carry out these tasks.
REI previously responded to the employee concerns by updating its safety protocols around what kind of respirators that employees could use at work. But the striking employees now say that REI in October changed its policy to say nothing needed to be worn when doing ski repairs, or what they call “tunes.” The workers say REI removed any personal protective gear or respirators that had been in the workshop, and they were told to purchase their own if they wanted one.
The workers have been refusing to repair skis under the new policy and started the strike Wednesday. Other store workers from their Soho bargaining unit joined in for that first day.
The eight workshop employees say they’re willing to walk out for however long is necessary. Their demands include getting their respirators back, a new assessment of the workshop by an industrial hygienist and a new REI Bike and Ski Shop Health and Safety Policy, among other points.
In an emailed statement to Modern Retail, an REI spokesperson said that “REI prioritizes employee safety and adheres to all OSHA guidelines. Recent air quality testing has confirmed that our ski shop provides a safe environment for employees to perform their duties without requiring respirators.”
The spokesperson went on to say that respirator use is voluntary, and “if employees choose to voluntarily wear a respirator, they are required, per OSHA regulations, to submit a medical evaluation to ensure safe and effective use of the mask.”
“Regular hazard analyses have consistently demonstrated that employees are not exposed to toxic or hazardous air contaminants while performing their work, meaning respirators are not required…we will continue to monitor conditions and implement any necessary measures to ensure the safety and well-being of our employees,” the spokesperson said.
Modern Retail spoke to two of the workers, on the condition of anonymity, who walked out. They spoke about their experiences at the shop and their demands.
The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
What led to the decision to walk out?
Worker #1: The equipment was removed from the shop on October 3. The policy was rolled out on October 4. And then we were given a very short timeline to adhere to the policy [around bringing their own respirators]. We had been communicating to customers that the tunes were supposed to start in late October, early November. And as part of the policy, you have to get medical clearance from a provider, and you have to provide your own respirator. This was a very short turnaround time for a completely new and unexpected policy.
We had previously not been running the service or doing any repairs. And they kind of gave us a little bit of an extension because they were still waiting on updates or information or anything like that. Then we received a hard deadline of this past Monday [to start doing repairs]. Our shop manager had damaged the machine when he was trying to run it by himself… so it got pushed back, and Tuesday was when the conversations were had saying, ‘Hey, if you don’t comply with our new policy — either run tunes without a respirator or provide your own respirator — then you will be terminated.’
Worker #2: Many of the employees in the shop have been asked for clarification about which make and model of respirator, what type, what company is acceptable to use. I have had no clarification on that. The other thing is the company is still providing us ear protection, eye protection, rubber gloves as well as a heavier type of work glove as well. Personally, I’d be willing to give up my hearing before I give up my respiratory health. But I shouldn’t have to make that choice.
What is the effect of the repair work on the air when you’re working?
Worker #1: If there are scratches or gouges in the base of skis, we’re literally melting plastic or burning plastic. There are sticks of a material called P-Tex that you literally catch on fire like a candle and drip onto the base of the ski. And there’s metal grip, which is another plastic compound, that we’re melting into the base of the ski. It’s like, very harsh fumes from literally burning plastic.
And there’s emulsion in our tuning machine, which is basically a cooling lubricant that gets aerosolized. It’s so strong that my apron I wear in the shop is totally bleached, and my clothes that I wear when I’m tuning have been bleached out as well. So that’s the kind of chemicals and compounds that we’re working with.
We’re also two floors down in the basement, so there’s very little airflow. And we have one vent hood for the entire shop.
What do your strike plans look like moving forward?
Worker #2: We’ve been talking about this for a week and a half, two weeks. And we’re going to stand on the line until we get our respirators back or until they come up with a resolution. We’re not going back anytime soon. So the eight of us will be out here just walking the line.
Worker #1: We’re going to obviously continue to reevaluate, and it depends on if we get any updates or information from the employer. But until then, it’s either we go into work, refuse to do tunes and get fired, or we stay outside and hold the line and try to make REI and take our health and safety seriously.