In a historic move, workers at a Philadelphia Whole Foods store have filed for their first union election since Amazon's 2017 acquisition of the supermarket chain. Around 300 employees are seeking to join the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union, challenging one of the world's largest companies known for its anti-union stance.
The push for unionization stems from ongoing concerns about inadequate wages and heavy workloads. "We've seen the cost of living going up. We cannot really afford to buy our groceries at Whole Foods," said Ben Lovett, a store employee leading the union effort. Many workers report working multiple jobs to make ends meet in Philadelphia.
The organizing effort began during the COVID-19 pandemic when workers united around worker safety issues. Store employees describe deteriorating working conditions and mounting pressure from management. "It's never enough," said Piper, a three-year employee who notes that workers feel constantly pushed to do more despite their best efforts.
Ed Dupree, an eight-year veteran in the produce department, witnessed what he calls a "degradation of the workplace" with both new and longtime colleagues struggling under current conditions.
While Whole Foods maintains they support workers' rights to make informed decisions about union representation, the company faces this unprecedented challenge as parent company Amazon contests the National Labor Relations Board's constitutionality.
UFCW Local 1776 president Wendell Young IV expects the NLRB to set an election date soon. The union commends the workers' courage in standing up to Amazon, noting that employers often respond harshly to organizing efforts.
"We want other Whole Foods and Amazon workers to see us going up against one of the largest companies in the world," Lovett stated. "This is a scary thing to do, but we want to show other workers it is possible."
This union drive represents a watershed moment for both Whole Foods and Amazon, potentially inspiring similar efforts across their vast retail empire.