AMERICAN LABOUR:

WEEKEND OF ACTION TO PRESSURE 'WHOLE FOODS':

This weekend will be one of protests at 'Whole Foods' outlets throughout the USA. For two years now the United Farm Workers have been organizing at Beef Northwest, but management of that company refuses to respect their workers' rights and has been intransigent. Whole Foods is the largest retailer of 'Country Natural Beef' who finish their cows at Beef Northwest. The pickets are to put pressure on Whole Foods to demand that their supplier act responsibly.

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Please join in the weekend of action to call on Whole Foods to live up to its claim of social responsibility:


Members and supporters of the United Farm Workers, International Brotherhood of the Teamsters, National Farm Workers Ministry, Organic Consumers Association will leaflet at Whole Foods stores across the country on the weekend of Oct. 4.

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, Whole Foods dismisses the fact 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 the company has refused to come to the table to negotiate, and has threatened and intimidated workers. There are currently two lawsuits pending against Beef Northwest including one for failure to pay overtime.

Supporters will be leafleting in front of dozens of stores across the country (see below).
If you do not live by one of these locations, you can still help by printing out the leaflet and bringing it to your local Whole Foods manager and urge them to tell corporate headquarters it's time to get involved.

***Please click here to let us know you are participating in our weekend of action. It's important for us to get an idea of how many people are participating this weekend.

Also if you have not sent Whole Foods Corporate headquarters an e-mail in September, please click here and let them know enough is enough, you expect them to take a stand to help the Beef Northwest workers resolve this situation.
Locations and times:
California - Northern
Whole Foods Market-Oakland

230 Bay Place

Oakland, CA 94612

Saturday, October 4, noon to 3 PM

Sunday October 5, noon to 3 PM
Whole Foods Market-South of Market

399-4th Street

San Francisco, CA 94107

Saturday, October 4, noon to 3 PM

Sunday October 5, noon to 3 PM

Whole Foods Market-San Francisco

1765 California Street

San Francisco, CA 94109

Saturday, October 4, noon to 3 PM

Sunday October 5, noon to 3 PM
Whole Foods Market-Palo Alto

Corner of Emerson and Homer

Palo Alto, CA

Friday, 1:00 p.m.
Whole Foods Makket- San Mateo

1010 Park Place,

San Mateo, CA 94403

Saturday 10:00am – 12 noon
California - Southern
Whole Foods Market - Fairfax

Fairfax: 6350 West 3rd St.,

Los Angeles, CA, 90036

Friday Oct 3rd, 11-1pm

Whole Foods Market - Westwood

1050 Gayley Ave.

Los Angeles, CA, 90024

Friday Oct 3rd, 12-2pm

Whole Foods Market-Laguna Beach

283 Broadway St.

Laguna Beach, 92651

Saturday, Oct 4, 1-3 pm
Whole Foods Market-Tustin

Jamboree

2847 Park Avenue

Tustin, CA 92782

Saturday, October 4, noon to 3 PM
Whole Foods Market-Santa Clarita

Valencia

24130 Valencia Blvd

Santa Clarita, CA 91355

Saturday, October 4, noon to 3 PM
Colorado
Whole Foods Market -Boulder

2584 Baseline Rd.

Boulder, CO 80305

Saturday, October 4, noon to 3 PM
Whole Foods Market-Tamarac

3515 S. TamaracDenver, CO 80237

Saturday, October 4, noon to 3 PM

Sunday October 5, noon to 3 PM
Whole Foods Market-Cherry Creek

2375 East 1st Street

Denver, CO 80206

Saturday, October 4, noon to 3 PM

Sunday October 5, noon to 3 PM
Whole Foods Market-Denver

7400 E. Hampden Ave, Unit D

Denver, CO 80231

Saturday, October 4, noon to 3 PM
Kansas
Whole Foods Market-Metcalf

7401 West 91st Street

Overland Park, KS 66212

Saturday, October 4, noon to 3 PM

Sunday October 5, noon to 3 PM
New Mexico
Whole Foods Market-Albuquerque

5815 Wyoming Blvd NE

Albuquerque, NM 87109

Saturday, October 4, noon to 3 PM
Texas
Whole Foods Market-Preston

11700 Preston Road

Dallas, TX 75230

Saturday, October 4, noon to 3 PM

Sunday October 5, noon to 3 PM
Whole Foods-Greenville

2218 Lower Greenville Ave

Dallas, TX 75206

Saturday, October 4, noon to 3 PM

Sunday October 5, noon to 3 PM
Whole Foods San Antonio,

TX Quarry Mall, 255 E Basse Rd

San Antonio, TX 78209

Saturday, 10am to 1pm
Washington
Whole Foods Market-Redmond

17999 NE Redmond Way

Redmond, WA 98052

Saturday, October 4, noon to 3 PM

Sunday October 5, noon to 3 PM