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whole foods madison, wi, employees demand union recognition

by john mackey
organize my whole
Whole Foods Madison Organizing Committee
http://www.wholeworkersunite.org
email: wholeworkersunite [at] yahoo.com

May 23, 2002

An open letter to everyone who works at Whole Foods Market Madison (and beyond):

We are distributing this letter to formally announce the intent of employees of Whole Foods Market Madison to form a union, in order to collectively bargain and determine the terms and conditions of our employment. We have contacted Local 1444 of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) to be our official representative. In other words, it was Whole Foods workers who initiated this effort and Whole Foods workers who have been leading and organizing it.

Driving workers’ intent to unionize is a deep desire to better the workplace conditions at Whole Foods Market. We would like to make Whole Foods a place where people enjoy working, have real involvement in decision-making, and are truly empowered to share in the success of the store.

Because Whole Foods management is not under legal obligation to bargain with its workers, workers are not involved in the decisions that impact us. We are not empowered to work directly with leadership to resolve issues and make necessary changes, as the letter written to all team members last week suggests. Instead, workers are faced with constantly changing and unevenly implemented policies and practices, with little to no consideration given to our desires. The only recourse we have is to quit. “If you don’t like it, you can leave” is not a form of worker empowerment or equality between management and workers - it is a form of control. Indeed, many of us enjoy our jobs and would like to continue working for the company. However, we want to make Whole Foods Market the kind of store it professes to be in its philosophy and core values. In our decision to unionize, we are upholding the shared company vision - not betraying it, as management might claim. We are empowering ourselves to become full and equal participants in determining the conditions in which we work.

Indeed, as we read in last week’s letter, the workers of Whole Foods are what make the company great. Without us, the store would not open and close each day. Without us, there would be no profits. Without us, there would be no Whole Foods. As workers, we recognize this. Whole Foods as a corporation, however, does not. The ridiculously high turnover rate, wages that are lower than the industry standard, pervasive lack of respect, constant understaffing, absence of a legally-binding grievance procedure, and other poor and unfair labor practices - all of which have led to widespread low morale - highlight the simple fact that workers ultimately have no say in the terms and conditions of their employment at any Whole Foods Market - not just Madison. Workers are not recognized or appreciated for their contributions. Instead, Whole Foods relies on worker apathy and lack of investment in their jobs to keep turnover high, and for the most part, wages, benefits, and other working conditions poor. This environment should be unacceptable for any workplace. But given that Whole Foods Market has made billions riding on a reputation of caring for the environment and all of its inhabitants - including its “team members” - it is even more deplorable.

Contrary to current mischaracterizing claims that unionizing will create an “us versus them” environment, such a system is already in place - even the most superficial analysis reveals this (it requires nothing more than asking yourself, “Who has a say in the policies and practices at Whole Foods?” to realize this). The reality is that unionizing will create more equality and a more level playing field. The fact that so many of us workers have united together and are demanding a collective voice flies in the face of claims of “divisiveness.” A union is what workers need - and this is not for anyone but us to decide. Any attempt to characterize our efforts as divisive stems from Whole Foods corporate headquarters’ misrepresentation of unions. To anyone who has been misinformed, please remember, the workers are the union - we are the ones who decide what needs to be changed; we decide democratically, as a group, what our priorities will be for our contract. We have chosen the UFCW to represent us because we need their organizing skills and experience, their legal assistance and resources, and their expert negotiators to assist us in collective bargaining. But we, the workers, are the union. We do not lose our individual voices once the UFCW represents us. Rather, we gain the power of a collective voice backed by institutional support - support that functions on bottom-up democratic principles rather than top-down hierarchical principles of corporations. Our negotiating committee will be elected by the employees of the store and will be accountable directly to the workers. Our elected committee - not the UFCW - will make decisions at negotiations.

In response to claims that this organizing effort is a result of store mismanagement, we ask that you stop underestimating the workers at this store. Although some of us have had issues with the way the store has been managed, we understand that Josie and the other team leaders are simply following the decisions of corporate managers. It makes no difference who is in positions of management in this - or any - Whole Foods store. The structure is inherent and remains the same from store to store. What is different about this store, however, is that its workers recognize the way workplaces should be run and are organizing to change it. We recognize that workers should play a large role in shaping the decisions that affect them and how the store is run. And although we are constantly told that we are empowered to help shape these things, we realize this is simply not the case. We have all learned that Whole Foods Market can change policies and practices at any time for any reason, with no input from its workers.

In the letter all team members received last week, we were told that Whole Foods Market has succeeded in creating an environment in which we work together as a team, where everyone respects one another, that part of the focus is providing a quality work environment, and that workers share in the success of the store. Yet we, the workers, have not been asked if we think the company has succeeded in creating this environment. And just as it is not up to corporate managers to decide whether it is meeting the needs of its workers, it is not up to Fortune Magazine either. It is up to the workers.

Because this is the only option for true worker empowerment, we ask now that our wishes to unionize be supported. Only with a legal contract will we be afforded and guaranteed a say in the decisions that affect us - and only through unionizing can we obtain such a contract. With union representation, employees participate directly in negotiating a collective bargaining agreement - an agreement that is legally-binding and cannot be changed without negotiating with us. Having a collective voice, among many other benefits, will increase employee morale and decrease turnover - essential components to management happiness, customer satisfaction, and all-around store success.

To all team leaders: Contrary to the way our organizing efforts are being characterized, this is not a personal attack on you or your leadership skills. We recognize that you have now been placed on the front lines of an attempt to crush our unionizing efforts and that in order to coerce you to do that, you are being threatened into believing how horrible things would be if workers were to unionize. Please realize that first, despite what you are hearing, you are in no way responsible for our wish to unionize. And second, a union of employees would in no way prevent you from doing the same work you do now. Any changes to your jobs would be changes dictated by corporate headquarters, not imposed upon you by the union. The union contract affects the workers who are part of the union; any changes that affect other employees are at the sole discretion of Whole Foods. Indeed, with a legal contract, not only would your relationships with your employees be more clearly defined, your wages and benefits would likely increase as a result of the increases we would receive.

To Whole Foods Corporate Headquarters: We hope you will abide by your own philosophy and stated core values of allowing “team members the power and freedom to create the best working environment they possibly can” and of supporting “the right of [your] workers to unionize, should they choose to do so.” Please do not force a further division between team members and team leaders. It is unethical to put supervisors on the front lines of a battle and give them lies as ammunition. It is even more unethical to contribute huge amounts of money to the sleazy, billion-dollar union-busting industry, while simultaneously refusing to provide better working conditions for your employees.

And finally, to all team members: We are doing this for the benefit of all Whole Foods workers. We feel that every single employee has something to gain from this process. Our goals are to improve the conditions for all workers, regardless of job classification. Workers have the right to unionize to improve their working conditions - a right protected under federal law. We are hopeful and confident that once everyone has been informed truthfully about our efforts, they will understand and support us.

Sincerely,
Members of the Whole Foods Madison Organizing Committee, in solidarity,

Heather Davis, Jocie Luglio, Jeremy Plague, Brian Sollors,
Katie Fritz, Gregor Mieder, Debbie Rasmussen, Erica Spizz,
Jen Johnstone, Jolin Mitchel, April Reitano, Michi Suárez,
Lucretia Keeler, Brendan O’Sullivan, Tracy Schumacher, Julie Thayer
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