Philadelphia Whole Foods workers form first union in Amazon era

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

WORKERS AT A WHOLE FOODS STORE IN PHILADELPHIA HAVE VOTED TO JOIN THE UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS UNION. THEY BECOME THE FIRST GROUP OF WHOLE FOODS WORKERS TO UNIONIZE SINCE AMAZON TOOK OVER THE GROCERY CHAIN IN 2017.
THE STORE IS LOCATED IN PHILADELPHIA’S SPRING GARDEN NEIGHBORHOOD. IT HAS ABOUT 300 WORKERS. THE VOTE WAS 130 IN FAVOR, 100 AGAINST ACCORDING TO A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE UFCW.
THE “YES” VOTE IS SEEN AS a MOVE TO PUT PRESSURE ON AMAZON WHEN IT COMES TO HIGHER WAGES AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS. AMAZON HAS COUNTERED THAT IT DOES NOT NEED UNIONS. THE COMPANY HAS ABOUT 1.4 MILLION FRONT-LINE WORKERS FOR AMAZON AND WHOLE FOODS, WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DELIVERY DRIVERS WHO ARE CONTRACTORS.
EMPLOYEE ACTIVISM HEIGHTENED IN 2024, WITH WORKERS HOLDING DEMONSTRATIONS AND CREATING ON-LINE PETITIONS. THE FORMATION OF UNIONS COULD BREAK THE CONTROL AMAZON HAS OVER ITS WORKFORCE WHEN IT COMES TO ISSUES SUCH AS WAGES, THE PACE OF WORK, LONG HOURS AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.
A STATEMENT ON THE UFCW WEBSITE SAYS, “ OUR WORK AT WHOLE FOODS IS ESSENTIAL WORK, BUT IT’S BECOME LESS AND LESS COMMON FOR OUR COMPANY TO GIVE US THE HOURS AND WAGES TO PAY FOR OUR ESSENTIALS. THAT’S WHY WE’RE UNIONIZING…TO FIGHT FOR A BETTER FUTURE AT WHOLE FOODS. “
THE UNION ALSO REPRESENTS WORKERS AT BIG-NAME GROCERY STORES INCLUDING KROGER AND ALBERTSONS. IT HAS 835,000 MEMBERS.
IN RESPONSE TO THE PUSH FOR UNIONIZATION, AMAZON HAS PREVIOUSLY SAID IT RESPECTS THE WORKERS RIGHT TO JOIN OR NOT TO JOIN. HOWEVER, WHOLE FOODS SAID IN A STATEMENT RESPONDING TO THE STORE IN PHILLY THAT IT IS DISAPPOINTED BY THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION, SAYING IT ALREADY OFFERS “ COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION, GREAT BENEFITS AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT” FOR EMPLOYEES “ FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP