The company senior management did not want the company to be unionized. The mid-level manager went afoul of that desire.

Company management, both left and right, may treat employees poorly because that is Capitalism.

Profits uber alles.

More from the cited article...

... REI recently topped Forbes' list of "the best brands for social impact." It has taken public stances in support of racial equity and LGBTQ+ rights. And its inclusive reputation has drawn the talent of workers like Littig, who identifies as queer and nonbinary and signs off his emails with "I accept all pronouns." But like Trader Joe's and Starbucks, two other progressive brands facing organizing campaigns, REI has chosen to resist collective bargaining among its workforce.

Whether they support or oppose unionizing, workers said in interviews that REI was damaging its reputation and its bonds with employees who thought "the co-op," as many refer to it, was special.

"They don't actually believe in their morals," one declared.

"No one thinks REI is going in a good direction," another said. "They do not care about the employees. They care about making more money." ...

So, it seems that REI's more liberal policies stop when money becomes the issue.

Good to know.