Center City Whole Foods workers vote in favor of unionizing

Source: WHYY Philadelphia/NPR

Updated Jan. 27, 2025 9:40 pm


Grocery store workers are expected to hustle during emergency situations, like hours before a snowstorm hits when customers are trying to stock up on supplies. “When the forecasters say there’s going to be snow, our members rise to the occasion. They go into sprint mode, they will work more hours and get more done,” said Wendell Young, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1776.

The union represents about 35,000 workers, mostly across Pennsylvania, of which 65% work in supermarkets. But the work culture of Amazon means its Whole Foods Market grocery store at 2101 Pennsylvania Ave. in Philadelphia is operated at a relentless pace all the time, Young said.

“Amazon wants you to do it every day, seven days a week. And your body can’t take it physically and emotionally, they’re breaking people,” he said. “That’s what’s really different here and these workers have seen that.” That’s why nearly 300 workers voted in favor of unionization Monday, according to preliminary results with 130 votes in favor of the union and 100 votes against it out of 230 ballots cast. This vote isn’t just about workers asking for higher wages — like at least $17 an hour, affordable health care benefits with minimal premiums or better retirement packages. Young said there’s an extra layer of consternation with billionaire owner Jeff Bezos.

The Center City store is on track to become the first in the U.S. to unionize. The National Labor Relations Board still needs to certify the results and will give Amazon the opportunity to challenge any ballots during the process. Organizers said they worry the NLRB’s appointees under a Donald Trump presidency will be anti-union.

Read more: https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphia-whole-foods-union-vote/