Members and supporters of the United Farm Workers, International Brotherhood of the Teamsters, National Farm Workers Ministry, Organic Consumers Association will spread leaflets at Whole Foods stores across the country on the weekend of October 4-5.
The four organizations are standing in support of workers employed at the Beef Northwest feedlots where Country Natural Beef finishes its cows. Whole Foods is the largest retailer of Country Natural Beef.
Whole Foods prides itself in saying that social responsibility is a cornerstone of its belief system and it expects the same from its vendors. However, despite numerous appeals by Beef Northwest workers, the groups allege Whole Foods dismisses the claim that Beef Northwest doesn't treat its workers with dignity and respect, which are central components in the ideology behind social responsibility.
"Whole Foods has the opportunity to act on the side of social responsibility, but it chooses not to," said Arturo Rodriguez, UFW President. "It would appear that Whole Foods only cares about certain classes of society."
Workers at Beef Northwest approached the UFW in the fall of 2006 seeking union representation. During that time, the UFW has supported the workers while they claim the company has refused to come to the table to negotiate, and they say the company has threatened and intimidated workers. There are currently two lawsuits pending against Beef Northwest including one for failure to pay overtime, Rodriguez said.
A spokesperson for Whole Foods markets was invited by email to respond to these claims but did not do so prior to publication.
UPDATE October 6 - Vicky Foley responded by email on behalf of Whole Foods with the following statement:
"For more than a year, the United Farm Workers has been pressuring third-parties such as Whole Foods Market to push their own agenda to recruit 32 workers at the Beef Northwest feedlot in Oregon, a facility used by one of our suppliers, Country Natural Beef. While we have absolute compassion and respect for farm workers, we cannot step in and settle a dispute on behalf of the United Farm Workers or Beef Northwest as we have no practical or legal authority to do so. [underlining in original] We hope the United Farm Workers comes to realize this fact and stops spreading misinformation to its supporters and bothering our shoppers about an issue that is out of their control. Because Whole Foods Market cares about laborers who help produce the products we offer, we would like to see a resolution that is in the best interests of the workers at Beef Northwest."
Michael Breckenridge contributed to this story.
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