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Yesterday, a group of Whole Foods workers sent an email to almost every employee to encourage them to join a union. This is not the first time Whole Foods workers have been trying to get organized, but this is the first time that they have belonged to Amazon. And, according to the letter sent yesterday, things are not going well with the new lords.
"Over the past year, layoffs and job consolidations at Whole Foods Market have disrupted the livelihoods of team members, raised anxiety and lowered morale. [sic] in shops " the e-mail states. He then alleges that Whole Foods' CEO, John Mackey, sold the store to Amazon "with an agreement to cut hundreds of millions of dollars of labor from our stores." The letter continues: "Dismissals will continue to aggressively reduce our workforce before it develops with new technology and manpower models.
Workers Organize with Trade Union of Retailers, Wholesalers and Department Stores – Representing Shop Department Workers, Including Macy's and H & M
Whole Foods has always struggled against these attempts to unionize, and we can only expect Amazon to do the same. For years, Amazon workers have alleged poor working conditions and deplorable compensation, which the company claimed to be untrue.
What makes Whole Food's attempt interesting is that for decades, the grocery store has been considered a good employer, offering better wages and benefits than most other competitors. It was once the embodiment of "social capitalism", where a company provides the necessary social services to its employees. The letter insinuates that Amazon's property is changing this vital part of Whole Foods' business model. (Of course, even before the acquisition, the company made big changes, indicating that its benevolent business approach was evolving rapidly.)
Still, it's a movement to watch. Amazon and Whole Foods will surely go out with guns, but the American class consciousness is undoubtedly different from what it was a year ago. People are starting to realize that working conditions are not good and that big companies are no longer looking for their well-being. It is hoped that this will give more ammunition to the unionization effort than before. (Disclosure: Fast SocietyThe editorial is in the process of unionizing.)
In response to a survey, Whole Foods provided the following statement:
"We respect the individual rights of our team members and apply an open door policy that encourages team members to share their comments, questions and concerns directly with team leaders. We believe that this direct connection is the most effective way to understand and respond to the needs of our staff and creates an atmosphere conducive to open communication and empowerment. We offer competitive salaries and benefits and we are committed to ensuring the growth and success of our team members.
I have also contacted Amazon and I will update if I hear. We will keep an eye on updates and if this email has helped galvanize even more Whole Foods workers. You can read the full email here.
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