Whole Foods workers seek to unionize • Hacker News Board

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#91

Post by cliffordthedog » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 12:07 AM UTC

imagiko wrote: post #79

borski wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry, what's wrong with REI? I've never been asked to donate to charity at my local REI...

Haven't you been pushed about getting an REI membership? I think twice before asking any REI salesman for help, because I know they are going to push me to get a membership. They're doing their job since their incentives are tied to memberships to some degree, but it makes for a poor experience. /edit:I'd rather be asked about a membership once at the cashier's than by every sales staff I talk to during my visit.

It's a coop, that's what they do.

FWIW the dividend is pretty nice. Combined with the sale I saved a pretty solid chunk of money on a nice cooler.

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#92

Post by cliffordthedog » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 12:09 AM UTC

s3r3nity wrote: post #15

My concern with this is that this will only accelerate the probability that Amazon Go merges with Whole Foods to have a cashier-free experience. >Shoppers, however, have saved millions as a result of the shake-up. This is why you're going to have a tough time getting sympathy from the public, and why I think (for better or worse) Amazon will win the PR battle. The average person now has access to healthier grocery /…

> Amazon will win the PR battle

Which is how corporations win the war. Know why you couldn't afford whole foods before? Because too many people are selfish and shortsighted and would rather save 1 dollar than ensure anyone else makes an extra 2 bucks an hour. Corporations, lobbyists, and government policy have been decimating unions for decades and the results are very apparent when you look at any graph of actual wages. Executives skyrocket, workers are flat at best.

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#93

Post by spython » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 12:09 AM UTC

cliffordthedog wrote: post #89

imagiko wrote: post #38

I have noticed that the cashier's have gotten pushy about asking about a Prime account, and very recently about a charity donation. It's a good way to 'make' people donate when asked upfront. I'm sure the probability of people donating increases. When I denied, I was asked if I'd like to round off my payment and have the balance donated. Honestly, it's very annoying. Whole foods is unfortunately becoming an REI store…

ha, I had a job interview recently and they had me do a take home thing. They offered to pay me for it, just a few hundred dollars for the time I put in. That's cool. But in the email they asked if I wanted the money, or I could donate it. Right now I could use the money, but now I feel just a little bad about it.

So you replied that you'll donate the money yourself to the charity of your choosing?

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#94

Post by biscoe9116 » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 12:10 AM UTC

imagiko wrote: post #79

borski wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry, what's wrong with REI? I've never been asked to donate to charity at my local REI...

Haven't you been pushed about getting an REI membership? I think twice before asking any REI salesman for help, because I know they are going to push me to get a membership. They're doing their job since their incentives are tied to memberships to some degree, but it makes for a poor experience. /edit:I'd rather be asked about a membership once at the cashier's than by every sales staff I talk to during my visit.

I've been shopping at REI for years and have never been asked about membership by the people working the floor. Also if you're shopping at REI without a membership you're doing it wrong. You get a percentage of every purchase back as dividend that you can put towards anything in the store.

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#95

Post by notyourwork » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 12:11 AM UTC

cliffordthedog wrote: post #86

Good timing, last thing Amazon will want right now is a battle with a union. Especially for a company they acquired so recently (shows that things got quickly worse with Amazon in charge). Good luck Whole Foods workers.

I'm not sure this shows things got quickly worse. It may just show Whole Foods employees lost control they used to have but I think you are jumping to conclusions.

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#96

Post by notyourwork » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 12:11 AM UTC

imagiko wrote: post #38

I have noticed that the cashier's have gotten pushy about asking about a Prime account, and very recently about a charity donation. It's a good way to 'make' people donate when asked upfront. I'm sure the probability of people donating increases. When I denied, I was asked if I'd like to round off my payment and have the balance donated. Honestly, it's very annoying. Whole foods is unfortunately becoming an REI store…

The donation inquiries are not from Amazon, they were doing this well before Amazon bought them.

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#97

Post by zjaffee » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 12:12 AM UTC

astrodust wrote: post #84

simonsarris wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are no added hormones in WF meat. There are no hydrogenated oils in any of their products. There are no phthalates in any of their beauty/wash products. Obviously you can define health however yo want, and you can scan the shelves of other stores for these same things. Maybe you can find a couple phthalate-free shampoos in Target, read a bunch of articles and memorize the good brands and hope they don't change.…

No added hormones is normal in most countries, but apparently in the USA you need to go out of your way to not do that.

The US also has radically cheaper groceries than virtually any other developed country.

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#98

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 12:12 AM UTC

s73v3r_ wrote: post #27

bonestamp2 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have trouble getting on board with your opinion about their dedication because Whole Foods stores across the country have some of the best and most consistent customer service experiences I've had. I'd say there's no doubt they are more dedicated than most retail workers. The real question for me is if they are worth $15/hr? I don't know the business, so I can't say with any certainty there.

Amazon is a trillion dollar company. There is no reason they can't pay $15/hour.

[deleted]

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#99

Post by notyourwork » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 12:12 AM UTC

spython wrote: post #93

cliffordthedog wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ha, I had a job interview recently and they had me do a take home thing. They offered to pay me for it, just a few hundred dollars for the time I put in. That's cool. But in the email they asked if I wanted the money, or I could donate it. Right now I could use the money, but now I feel just a little bad about it.

So you replied that you'll donate the money yourself to the charity of your choosing?

To which they replied, "no worries let me know your favorite charity and we'll send it over right away!" LOL

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#100

Post by thinkmassive » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 12:12 AM UTC

imagiko wrote: post #79

borski wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry, what's wrong with REI? I've never been asked to donate to charity at my local REI...

Haven't you been pushed about getting an REI membership? I think twice before asking any REI salesman for help, because I know they are going to push me to get a membership. They're doing their job since their incentives are tied to memberships to some degree, but it makes for a poor experience. /edit:I'd rather be asked about a membership once at the cashier's than by every sales staff I talk to during my visit.

REI is one of the most responsible retail business around in my mind. They still operate as a co-op and I don't expect that to change in the foreseeable future. I haven't experienced any pushiness from their staff, which is anecdotal, but I've been a customer for years in a least 4 states.

If you anticipate shopping there more than once, or for any large item (excluding sales), then a membership is worth it. The dividend is 10% so it pays for itself after $200.