Washington's iconic outdoor retailer, REI, has gotten a little too far out over its skis. The member-owned co-op has been losing money for years. And that's put it at odds with its employees who want better wages and benefits.

On today's episode, workers in the service industry are organizing at companies that used to seem immune from unionization. So, could the next generation of workers revolutionize retail?

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Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producer is Lucy Soucek. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.