The Hidden Horrors of Whole Foods

Whole Foods workers say they’re surveilled, tracked to the minute, and have to work two jobs to survive. Amazon bought the grocery chain in 2017. Now it’s like “walking around in the corpse of what used to be.” So workers are organizing to form the first Whole Foods union.
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[Islandgirl]

I worked at an Amazon warehouse for a Christmas season. 12 hr shifts 6 days a week. It was actually fun, but they came to us every Thursday to show us our times. They kept saying we’re going to fire you if you don’t go faster. It was belittling demoralizing. Putting in 72 hrs per week. Never sick, always there…I was already fast.
After weeks of these Thursday scoldings, I told them you’re deflating my motivation. You never fire me, you just demoralize and demotivate me every week. If you keep doing this I will quit. (It goes both ways). He laughed. Next week he came by to break my spirit again, I walked away. He followed me all the way to break room yelling at me to stop.
I gathered my things from my locker and left the warehouse…
I swore I’d never buy anything thru Amazon again, and I haven’t. Total boycot.
Now I find out Amazon owns Wholefoods? And they abuse their employees there too??? Well then,
NO MORE WHOLE FOODS!

[nandisaand]

My buddy worked there for several years. One day he was working before opening, and started feeling effects of low blood sugar (he's diabetic) so he grabbed a bottle of OJ off the shelf and drank it. When store opened, he took the empty bottle to a register to pay for it. Cashier was an assistant manager who got upset he drank it without purchasing it, even tho it was medically necessary, store was closed, and he immediately paid for the item upon opening. He got written up, then fired. He eventually sued for wrongful termination, got a settlement.

[Kenneth.j]

Whole Foods quality has declined. I’d rather spend money supporting local grocery stores, farmers markets and bakeries.

[cleaningmyroom]

I’ve been working at Whole Foods for almost 7 years. The quality in terms of work place and products has declined since Amazon took over. The prepared foods come out of bags while before we used to cook from scratch and the produce has lost quality. The equipment and facilities are breaking and falling apart while being manned by skeleton staffs. Benefits are stripped and wages are stagnant. The money raked in is only being passed to the share holders while team members can’t afford to shop in the place they work.

[slong]

Whole Foods sucks since being bought by Amazon

[belizeanqd]

I love how this generation is exposing all the greed and gaslighting. Technology is allowing transparency and its needed

[repairdrive]

Any company that calls their employees "team members" is already trying to spin the BS.

[lc]

This is part and parcel why MANY, not all but many, corporations want immigrants, either illegal or legal, to do this kind of work: less pay, no complaining, work faster, et al. This is mental, emotional, and physical abuse.

Kudos to the workers/whistleblowers for having none of this abuse any longer. Unionize.

[jasonv.]

Every CEO says the same shit about "open doors" having a "direct connection" to employees. It is always bullshit.

[NahumOchoa]

As a former Whole Foods employee I can wholeheartedly say not a single lie was told here. Excellent work. I would have added that Amazon essentially bought Whole Foods for free. If I remember correctly they paid in cash and Amazon stock- the price of which rose post purchase to cover what they spent. The entire company has effectively turned into a data mining operation. I hope these guys win their contract.

[Diggy]

A friend of mine worked for Whole Foods before and after Amazon bought it. He said that things were worse after Amazon bought the franchise. It went from a hip and healthy supermarket to a mindless and soulless machine. He's a supervisor at a small supermarket now, and he's actually happier.

[KarnivorousKeyz]

i know someone who worked at meats there for 5yrs, kept thinking things would change. they had to fight for a $1 yearly raise, saw so much food waste! The disrespect that managment showed them was unbearable. Like shift ending at 9pm but leaving at 11pm because no one would clean up their station, random employee disprespect, soaking wet feet, 15 min lunch break. Oh the worst was them trying NOT to pay for their cut limb on the blade during work hours which led to stiches & the doctor demanding a week off. This person was so done with life and literally hated everything. after quitting, i watched this person grow into someone who is appreciated and respected at their new job. they make 3x they did at wholefoods & WANT to work.

[anregung]

I literally quit after one shift. It’s exhausting work for little to no pay. The amount of food they waste instead of donating is horrifying.

[DieselDucy]

Excellent journalism. Keep holding these companies accountable

[gou]

“Work faster faster faster!!”
Why is Amazon so obsessed with speed? You’re already a successful company. All this does is make me want to buy my stuff elsewhere. Sadly, we are in an oligopoly where all these major supermarkets treat their staff horribly

[meeks]

It went all downhill once Amazon bought it and it’s no surprise

[Pərfectchāøs]

Zero companies care about your health and well being.

[carrrhonda]

Boycotting Whole Foods for good now. I’m sick of these corrupt corporations.

[alaakela]

Red flag: a corporation calling you a "team member"

[uncommonlyaverage]

I worked at Whole Foods part-time when I was in undergrad. I and other young female workers were sexually harassed by one older male team member. He had done this at another store but they just transferred him. He worked hard but his behavior was disturbing and unacceptable. He also screamed at me to the point that I was in tears. I reported him to the store manager and they did nothing. He was given the employee of the quarter award for the department I worked in, and I quit after that. He had caused another coworker to leave as well.