Friday February 1, 2013, 2:17 am
Such tasteless stories should get more attention and be on the front page of every serious news forum until they stop

Friday February 1, 2013, 3:57 am
Noted.

Friday February 1, 2013, 4:36 am
noted, thanks Cal

Friday February 1, 2013, 4:42 am
“The 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." -- John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market

This is the bunch of bullcrap they want to keep out there so that the people won't stand in solidarity and fight back for their rights as human beings.

The People at all levels are going to have to stand together, that means union, and the people who don't work there must not cross those lines. It has to be stand together or we remain in this situation of low wages and the various mistreatment of employees.

In the past recessions and depressions the Government would start hiring workers, the WPA, CCC, or CETA. Now our Government is full of politicians that placed people in there to do "their" bidding, not the We The People. After a promise of finance to win the seat in Government, the Corporations expect that their man or woman will do their bidding......always labeled for the good of all.....lol.....

Record profits and stagnated wages, loss of benefits, and ill treatment of laborers show otherwise. Is why the jobs programs keep being shot down in the House and Congress because when the Government hires at better wages it then is competitive with private industry that must now compete for workers as there will not be this high amount without jobs. People will then be able to pick where they want to work rather than have to beg and accept any job that might be out there. With competition for laborers then wages go up and treatment of the workers improve. So it is unionize and get the corruption out of Government so that policies can be put in place For the People and not just for the special interests of the Plutocrats.

Friday February 1, 2013, 7:05 am
All big companies are the same. treat the employees bad. It is a same that this continues to happen

Friday February 1, 2013, 8:49 am
I agree, Wolfgang. This should be more in the news. Living and working in Arizona where unions are scarce, I seldom could afford the prices at Whole Foods. WalMart's prices are good, but I don't shop there either.

Friday February 1, 2013, 9:07 am
Ty Cal ~ “Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o-er wrought heart and bids it break.” ― William Shakespeare [so here mine go...]

The Stoopids...an epic tale . . .

Whole Foods is just another paragraph in a deeply sad saga where Americans [a Boomer' legacy] had the opportunity to lead civilization through a poli-socio-economic global healing and chose instead become the largest ego-centric collective of self-indulgent "profit makers" in recorded history ...whatever the unholy bee-jee-bees that "Whole" mess is supposed to be about. The first time i went to a Whole Foods was just another big "letdown" [given what i had been told compared to reality] ...another launch in the grand market of illusions ... the official rebranding =corporatization, ie. imprisonment of the "natural food" market ... oh hip hip hooray ... for one more very inglorious day! What is that called in marketese...buy out...takeover...oh no that's vernacular of sorts...oh yes...it's mergers and acquisitions...a more apt descriptor would be Big Bullies and Big Bucks on the playground. . .do not even mention "free markets' it makes Adam Smith tremor in the grave. . .

"All that harms labor is treason to America." — Abraham Lincoln, US Pres.

"The labor movement means just this: It is the last noble protest of the American people against the power of incorporated wealth." —Wendell Phillips

"No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country. By living wages I mean more than a bare subsistence level --I mean the wages of decent living. —Franklin D. Roosevelt, US Pres.

"It is time that all Americans realized that the place of labor is side by side with the businessman and with the farmer, and not one-degree lower." — Harry S. Truman, US Pres.

"If capitalism is fair then unionism must be. If men have a right to capitalize their ideas and the resources of their country, then that implies the right of men to capitalize their labor." -- Frank Lloyd Wright

''No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable. It is but equity, besides, that they who feed, clothe and lodge the whole body of the people, should have such a share of the produce of their own labour as to be themselves tolerably well fed, clothed and lodged.'' —Adam Smith, (1723–1790), "Father of Modern [political] Economics"

"For it is an absurdity to call a country civilized in which a decent and industrious man, laboriously mastering a trade which is valuble and necessary to the common weal, has no assurance that it will sustain him while he stands ready to practice it, or keep him out of the poorhouse when illness or age makes him idle.". — H.L. Mencken

...grow mint by the porch. . .my grandfather would say. . .keeps stomach strong and indigestion away. . .EAT local organic...fair trade...home grown food...Support Unions. . .[see AFL-CIO website for local connections]

Friday February 1, 2013, 10:00 am
Noted . Thanks

Friday February 1, 2013, 10:10 am
Noted

Friday February 1, 2013, 10:32 am
Thanks for the article. Just another store I will be avoiding in the future.

Friday February 1, 2013, 11:56 am
This is shocking because Whole Foods always presents such a "world friendly" image....Guess I'll just stick with Trader Joe's and Sprouts.

Friday February 1, 2013, 1:43 pm
I stopped shopping at "Whole Paycheck" a few years ago. I preferred my local co-op and farmers market. In most cases, I actually knew who grew my food and how they did it.

Friday February 1, 2013, 1:47 pm
Whole Foods, as a model of distribution and consumption, is not sustainable. It is largely supplied by large-scale, "industrial organic" farms that are likewise, neither sustainable nor truly organic. More to the point, when Whole Foods isn't busy exploiting its workers, it is busy funding anti-labeling groups to stop GMO labeling as well as climate change denialists. We need people to start blockading Whole Foods' entrances. Business as usual should be brought to a halt.

Friday February 1, 2013, 2:39 pm
I don't think Trader Joe's is much better if any at all. I don't know about Sprouts (probably says something for them since I usually hear about the abuses). I used to shop at Wild Oats until Whole Foods bought them, after which I never felt comfortable there, and after the Mother Jones interview and this I now realize why. If you have a Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage near I recommend them but I don't think they are widely distributed. And of course Co-ops and local farmers markets where available are excellent.

Friday February 1, 2013, 4:25 pm
It's boycott time.

Friday February 1, 2013, 5:07 pm
Signed and noted.
Paying a livable wage makes a positive statement about a company and its commitment to fairness in the workplace.

Friday February 1, 2013, 5:29 pm
The USA is no longer a democratic country it is a government run by corporations! I am old enough to remember what JFK said "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your government". We 99% must DEMAND justice for all hardworking Americans! If it is not a business that has union representation DO NOT SHOP, BUY OR DEAL WITH THEM. Yes, unions have their shortcomings but we must honor the ideals of Samuel Gomphers and George Meany. Many honest, hard working men were killed by strike busters in the past and the sacrifices they made must be honored. Rockefeller, Carnegie and all the other monopolist may be dead, now we have the walton's, malarkey/Mackey, the evil Koch brothers, Murdoch and all the rest of these sociopathic PROFITEERS. Do not expect your politicians to do SQUAT, they are all in cahoots. Yes, both republicans and democrats.

Friday February 1, 2013, 5:59 pm
Sadly Noted!!

Friday February 1, 2013, 10:01 pm
Doesn't surprise me. It makes me sick reading how these companies only think of themselves and their stocks/bank accounts. Never shopped at Whole Foods because there isn't one close to me, but after reading this, I never will. Thanks Cal

Friday February 1, 2013, 11:30 pm
These corporations are just another example of greed and exploitation of the workers who are treated more like slaves than valuable employees who should be able to make a living wage so that they provide a decent standard of life for their families, healthcare so that when they or their family get sick they can afford to take care of their illnesses without losing their homes and not going bankrupt! UNFI and WFM isn't concerned about Fair trade when it comes to American workers who provide such a great living for the executives at the top of these corporations and they have no fair trade laws to protect them against such exploitation and unfair labor laws which are going on from the family farmer right down the supply chain to those who work in the processing plants as well! I am now boycotting UNFI and WFM until they stop intimidating their suppliers and employees and let them unionize for better wages and benefits!

Saturday February 2, 2013, 12:11 am
John Steinbecks Grapes of Wrath come to my mind. What's new ?

Saturday February 2, 2013, 12:36 am
thanks for the info, other stores will get more of my business now

Saturday February 2, 2013, 3:06 am
Noted, thanks.

Saturday February 2, 2013, 4:42 am
Virtual stars to Dande and Brian. Stars to Wolfgang and Elle. Keep this front page (Wolfgang) embarrassment, as Elle said, we've missed the boat. The companies who were going in the "right" green direction have been swallowed up by corporate greed. I need to use my year round farmer's market consistently...Christie won't raise the minimum wage here in NJ so we're battling him too.

Saturday February 2, 2013, 4:10 pm
I say all immigrants would have to pass a background check, give a test on our judicial system and history and speak English and follow our laws & culture. It is a privilege to come to America if you want to live here you must follow the proper channels. Anyone who commits criminal acts should be deported ASAP. Our Country is almost bankrupted I don't think anymore people should be coming into our Country taking our Jobs until our Economy is flurishing again.

Sexual preference should not make any difference. We cannot afford anymore welfare and medical expenses to go any higher with the addition of more people.

Close Borders until our Country is in better shape Financially.

Maybe Congress & President should stop all Foreign Aid and take that money to give FREE HEALTHCARE to all American citizens, and use the remaining to pay back our Countries Debt.

Obama & Congress need to spend the money in our own Countries Citizens before giving to others. With help of FREE Healthcare we will have the money to spend on our own Economy to flurish.

Sunday February 3, 2013, 8:38 am
Stars to Wolfgang and Julie R - tried to send stars to Nancy and Dandelion and Elle and Brian and others - sorry, the week isn't up yet! Boycott these SOBs!

Sunday February 3, 2013, 3:00 pm
If you want to keep costs down by not hiring union workers, then pass the savings on to your customers. But don't pretend to be organic, fair trade and reputable while price gouging and looking pretty to hide these insidious practices.

Tuesday February 5, 2013, 11:16 am
Thanks