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Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

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251–260 of 415 posts

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#251

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By creating a level playing field for negotiation in an environment where the one who owns the capital could otherwise dictate terms.

What is the negotiation threat from a union?

Refusing to work unless conditions improve.

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#252
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…

Panda Express kicks this up a notch and has a little bell they ring whenever someone donates their change adding an element of social pressure/shame, super scummy

Panda Express is an odd chain, perhaps even odder than Chick-Fil-A (which is closed on Sundays). They participate in Landmark Forum which is a retreat where you spend most of a weekend having some rowdy guy tell you what they think really matters in life. https://www.quora.com/Is-the-corporate-culture-of-Panda-Expr... Like Chick-Fil-A, their unusual beliefs and practices probably just makes the insiders prouder of the company.

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The other interest groups, with greater power and influence, have already institutionalized it. Should the disempowered simply refuse to engage, and suffer for it?

Union leaders can aim for that they want, I personally commit to dissent all forms of that robbery and desire for a freer and more fair society. I do not want to fight for the spoils of exploitation.

I see. So you yearn for a world without capitalism.

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#254
post #193

All my experience shopping at grocery chains in the US and elsewhere has impressed upon me that these workers represent the absolute classic, textbook case for unionization. Yes, including Whole Paycheck[0] as well as Trader Joe's and Safeway and Von's and everybody else. While I can imagine Amazon having a loathing of unions, if they really want to be in this space they will sooner or later have to contend with the…

One of your examples, Trader Joe’s, does not have a union and their employees seem to be relatively content.

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#255
post #193

All my experience shopping at grocery chains in the US and elsewhere has impressed upon me that these workers represent the absolute classic, textbook case for unionization. Yes, including Whole Paycheck[0] as well as Trader Joe's and Safeway and Von's and everybody else. While I can imagine Amazon having a loathing of unions, if they really want to be in this space they will sooner or later have to contend with the…

One of your examples, Trader Joe’s, does not have a union and their employees seem to be relatively content.

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#256

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lol, "have you dined with us before" is the most irritating thing. I usually want to say, "no, but I've dined at a thousand other restaurants, will this be radically unfamiliar?"

In my experience servers ask this to find out if they should give the longer description of the menu or not. If you have been there before they might just tell you the specials, while if you haven't they'll tell you about some of the most popular items and anything unique about the way they do things (tapas style, etc.).

I've not once received useful information when answering this question honestly. Maybe because my face is also too honest :)

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is that any different from grocery stores asking everyone if they have a reward card, clothing stores asking if you have their credit card, McDonald's asking if you want to super-size that, or bartenders being required to offer to upsell liquor? It's extremely common for cashiers to be required to ask if customers are part of whatever program is relevant, if they would like the current promotion, etc. Nobody's go…

One of the things I used to like about shopping at Whole Foods - no stupid club pricing. Yeah, I have prime - but I am not putting the app on my phone and don't want to give my phone number out, or be bothered too. Just let me buy my groceries in piece.

You don't need the Whole Foods app. Just go to your Amazon app, go to the shopping cart, and click "Whole Foods Code."

Note: you may have to link your phone number to your Amazon account at the link below before this works:

https://www.amazon.com/primesavings

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#258

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Unions should quite obviously have formed by now. Including the eng team. But the problem with unions is that over time they are corrupted, and quickly become inefficient bureaucratic institutions. I agree with your sentiment, but the reality is far murkier than that.

I feel like I'm the only one that ever asks this, but especially with the engineering team (and software engineers in general) why haven't robo-unions become a thing yet? While politics will be hard as always, instantly verifiable direct democracy is achievable with a distributed ledger + PGP... In addition to that I personally think that jobs that require you to be on pager duty at all should be paying way more than…

Not everyone thinks that direct democracy is a good system.

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#259

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Unions should quite obviously have formed by now. Including the eng team. But the problem with unions is that over time they are corrupted, and quickly become inefficient bureaucratic institutions. I agree with your sentiment, but the reality is far murkier than that.

> But the problem with unions is that over time they are corrupted, and quickly become inefficient bureaucratic institutions. Replace "unions" with "corporations" and the same is true.

Any hierarchy, actually. Ask an Altar boy. Even after 2000 years it's a problem for some Organizations to get it right.

Re: Whole Foods workers seek to unionize

#260
post #193

All my experience shopping at grocery chains in the US and elsewhere has impressed upon me that these workers represent the absolute classic, textbook case for unionization. Yes, including Whole Paycheck[0] as well as Trader Joe's and Safeway and Von's and everybody else. While I can imagine Amazon having a loathing of unions, if they really want to be in this space they will sooner or later have to contend with the…

Safeway is unionized. Lucky is unionized. Why not Amazon Whole Foods?
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