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Turns out that the REI board amended the Bylaws in 2022. You have to have shopped the past year or your membership is "inactive" and you are not entitled to vote in board elections.

"Active Membership" is not an unusual thing, consumer co-ops with large member rolls pretty much have to do that because the number of defunct members can be pretty significant. I've seen three-year participation requirements in grocery co-ops.

ONE YEAR is vote suppression.

@deathkitten @beckett If that is so I will be unable. But I will take a look.

@etp@indieweb.social Even if you aren't able to vote, please get the word out.

When I tried to vote, their error message was not helpful. I had skipped over the line on the page about being an active member, and the error message was just something about unable to find member or something? I don't remember what it said specifically, but it really wasn't obvious until my ADHD ass noticed the line about needing to have spent money or started the membership in 2024.

@beckett@social.coop

@crabbypup IIRC, it was a "planned bankruptcy" to facilitate the sellout.

@beckett

yep, exactly.

@PedestrianError Well crap, they amended the bylaws in 2022.

"Active Membership" is not an unusual thing, consumer co-ops with large member rolls pretty much have to do that because defunct members can be pretty significant. I've seen three-year participation requirements.

ONE YEAR is vote suppression.

@deathkitten

@beckett@social.coop
I wouldn't be surprised if it was in direct response to backlash to their union busting bullshit. But I'll start making a point to buy something yearly even if I don't have anything I need, just to make sure I can vote in the future.
@PedestrianError@towns.gay

@PedestrianError@towns.gay @beckett@social.coop It def sounds like it was intentionally designed to prevent actions like we're trying to pull here. These corporate scum know exactly what they're doing. >.<

We need to get the word out about this so people will make sure they're active for next year.

I'm personally irritated because they closed the store that's closest to me. Both of the others in the area are out of my way, but at least one of them is unionized, so that's probably the one I'll hit to ensure I can vote next year.

@deathkitten @beckett Yeah but all those people buying stuff is going to give them a lot of profit. Is the $10 amount set in stone or could they change it at the last minute after everyone went out and bought a pair of socks or whatever was barely over $10?

@PedestrianError@towns.gay
The point is to improve the business for the employees and the customers, and while cutting into their profits will potentially scare these corporate parasites off, in the long run it's likely to lead to the company being sold to one of those venture capitalist parasites that'll just strip it for parts until it's run into bankruptcy.

The union isn't calling for boycotts, and right now $10 a year is a relatively low threshold in order to ensure one is active and able to support the union in the actions they are calling for us to do. Don't go buying shit that's going to just sit and collect dust, buy things you'd otherwise be buying anyway: sunscreen, socks, a snack if you're out and nearby one of their locations. Whatever.

If they change the purchase threshold to be considered active again, we can re-evaluate and decide if the company we remember is still worth fighting for and adjust our plan from there.
@beckett@social.coop

@PedestrianError@towns.gay
The biggest thing to remember here is perfect is the enemy of done. If we're spending all our time trying to find the perfect solution to their nonsense, they're getting ahead of us continuing to pull more nonsense.

Is it ideal to give them money when we're mad at them? No. Is it going to potentially give us power to do something about their nonsense if we do it? Sure. We can't just not do something because they might try to continue to play Calvin Ball with us, because if we do nothing, they win, if we do something, they have to spend time responding to it and are slowed from doing further damage.

Everyone needs to make the choice for themselves if they are comfortable with doing this to further the long term goal, but doing nothing gives these parasites a win and does nothing to support the stores that have unionized nor the stores that are hoping to.
@beckett@social.coop