| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 15, 2002 |
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Madison Whole Foods Workers Say UFCW Yes Whole Foods workers in Madison, Wisconsin made history on Friday, July 12, 2002 by making their voices heard for a voice on the job with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1444. The Madison workers are the first to successfully organize their Whole Foods Market store in the entire 130-store chain. Workers organized for respect on the job, fairness, and better wages and benefits. Workers most importantly wanted a voice on company policies affecting their store and working conditions. "Only a union can give us a guaranteed voice in our workplace. Whole Foods talks a lot about respecting team members. But we haven't felt that respect. Our union will give us a chance to level the playing field and help us make a difference in our store," said Brendan O'Sullivan a Whole Foods worker and union supporter. The workers were up against a massive union-busting campaign that is emblematic of corporate America's lack of respect for working people. Whole Foods publicly espouse socially progressive values while internally, it pursues anti-worker, anti- democratic actions to keep workers from having a voice on the job. Whole Foods' founder and CEO John Mackey is notorious for his bigoted comments against unions such as having a union is like "having herpes. It doesn't kill you, but it's unpleasant and inconvenient and it stops a lot of people from becoming your lover." Mackey came to Madison last Wednesday to appeal in person to the workers to vote against the UFCW. Managers held a paid, forced meeting in which Mackey agreed to answer questions but would not respond to statements from workers. Debbie Rasmussen, a union supporter, said how unhappy she was that the workers were forbidden from making statements. Mackey asked, "Is that a statement or a question?" Rasmussen answered, " I've made my point." She stood up and walked out of the meeting, and more than half of the workers present followed her. Local 1444 members at the Milwaukee-based Outpost Natural Foods volunteered to reach out to the Madison Whole Foods workers about the benefits of unionization. The Outpost workers met with Whole Foods workers and appeared at a rally in support of their union effort. "The Whole Foods workers have made their voices heard. I hope the company will respect the workers' voices and begin bargaining a contract right away. This is a company founded on progressive social values and respecting workers' legal right to a voice on the job should be number one on the list of Whole Foods' priorities," said Daniel Welch, UFCW Local 1444 President. -30- |
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