Workers at a Whole Foods Market in Philadelphia have voted to unionize under UFCW, making it the grocer’s first unionized location in decades, writes Roshan Fernandez for The Wall Street Journal.
The vote was prompted by a push for higher wages, as well as better benefits.
Ed Dupree, a union organizer, highlighted that during his eight years at the Spring Garden Whole Foods in Center City, business has grown while staffing levels have reduced. He also noted that some coworkers juggle multiple jobs, and many lack health insurance.
As a result, Dupree said, many of his co-workers are struggling to get by.
Whole Foods, which was acquitted by e-commerce giant Amazon in 2017, urged the employees to give their vote against unionization.
“We are disappointed by the outcome of this election, but we are committed to maintaining a positive working environment in our Philly Center City store,” said the company.
The workers at the Spring Garden Whole Foods will now become members of a local chapter of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, the nation’s biggest representative of grocery workers.
Read more about Philadelphia’s Whole Foods workers’ decision to unionize in The Wall Street Journal.
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