Unions: Mackey Undermining the President

The unmitigated gall! For the Quisling-like crime of writing an opinion piece doubting the wisdom of ObamaCare, the Associated Press reports that "Unions responded to a Wall Street Journal opinion piece by Whole Foods CEO John Mackey on Tuesday, calling for his resignation and saying he is undermining President Barack Obama's health care reform." More from the AP:

The CtW Investment Group, a part of the Change to Win federation of unions that advocates on behalf of workers' investments in pension funds, said in a statement that it is calling on the Whole Foods board to remove Mackey as chairman and find a new CEO.

"Mr. Mackey attempted to capitalize on the brand reputation of Whole Foods to champion his personal political views, but has instead deeply offended a key segment of Whole Foods consumer base," CtW Investment Group's Executive Director Bill Patterson said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which is part of Change to Win, said it will be giving out information to Whole Foods shoppers about health care reform. The group said Mackey's op-ed was an "attempt to undermine Obama's health-care reform."

The original Mackey WSJ opinion piece can be read here.

Comments

[Johnny Longtorso]

The group said Mackey's op-ed was an "attempt to undermine Obama's health-care reform."

It is, as always, about The Chosen One (and those who have attached their egos to him). Anyone who disagrees that the universe revolves around them is selfish.

Let that sink in for a moment.....

[Xeones]

Shut the fuck up, unions.

[GILMORE]

an "attempt to undermine Obama's health-care reform."

I dont recall the president proposing anything quite as specific as Mackey's op-ed; is the idea here that anyone talking about reform OTHER than Obama is doing everyone a disservice?

[24AheadDotCom]

I'm going to start a NationalizeWholeFoods campaign, so everyone get ready.

[Pro Libertate]

Gosh, the unions seem awfully concerned about this. Is it because Whole Foods has resisted unionization? Which, of course, has nothing whatsoever to do with a perfectly freaking valid opinion on healthcare reform? In fact, an opinion that is a zillion times better than what the government would like to force down our throats?

Debating? Nah. They're just 'bating.

[shrike]

Mackey is obviously trying to undermine Obama's health care reform - that is why he wrote the fucking WSJ opinion piece.

That said he makes $1 a year in salary (I got that from one media source) and if Whole Foods is at its 52 week high so the owners are getting a bargain and WFMI is a good corporate steward.

So - fuck the naysayers. Give Mackey a raise.

[Nipplemancer]

it's ok. this is a grassroots movement.
it's amazing that it took a week for these guys to figure out what was going on. after the umpteen Whole Foods articles last week this seems kind of 'dated.'

x- i concur and reiterated. Shut teh fuck up Unions. No one likes you and your momma dresses you funny.

[Joe M]

...calling for his resignation...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! That's a good one.

[brotherben]

"Mr. Mackey attempted to capitalize on the brand reputation of Whole Foods to champion his personal political views

Capitalizing on your Union Power to try to get a man with a different point of view fired is different how?

I don't suppose the union could shed a buncha pesky benefits with ObamaCare in place could it?

[ed]

"Mr. Mackey attempted to capitalize on the brand reputation of Whole Foods
to champion his personal political views, but has instead deeply
offended a key segment of Whole Foods consumer base"

I'm just a crackpot blog commenter, so to Change to Win's federation of unions I can only say: "Reality sucks, doesn't it?"

[R C Dean]

C'mon. That shrike post @ 6:18 pm has to be a spoof.

I don't suppose the union could shed a buncha pesky benefits with ObamaCare in place could it?

I do believe I recall reading that the House bill subsidizes union benefits to the tune of billions a year.

[*]

R C Dean | August 25, 2009, 6:28pm | #

C'mon. That shrike post @ 6:18 pm has to be a spoof.

I thought it was understood that shrike is a spoofter.

[brotherben]

I thought it was understood that shrike is a spoofter.

NTTAWWT

[nj]

As I much as I would like to see some form of liberaltaranism become a viable political movement in this country, the progressive left reaction towards Whole Foods ( a business model that every corporation should model themselves after) shows why it is pretty much a hopeless dream.

Sigh

[John C. Randolph]

The group said Mackey's op-ed was an "attempt to undermine Obama's health-care reform.

...like that would be a bad thing?

-jcr

[shrike]

No spoof - I like Mackey. He is a green/vegan/capitalist like myself

(OK, I eat sushi)

I do believe I recall reading that the House bill subsidizes union benefits to the tune of billions a year.

Wow - "believe" (laughs.....) subsidizes unions ... LMAO!

Pure innuendo. You got nothing.

[Franklin Harris]

Where are the Pinkertons when you need them?

[robc]

Pure innuendo. You got nothing.

Other that, you know, the freakin' articles that have been written about it.

[Joe M]

shrike:

I believe I got something.

Health Care Reform Bill Includes Billions for Union Fund.

[*]

shrike | August 25, 2009, 6:40pm | #

No spoof - I like Mackey. He is a green/vegan/capitalist like myself

Whoa, buddy. Back away from that coconut water vinegar.

[Shelby]

deeply offended a key segment of Whole Foods consumer base

What on Earth does this mean? I don't recall anything offensive in the op-ed; did he single out some group and I missed it? Or is it now supposed to be "deeply offensive" to union members for someone to offer an alternative to a plan that a lobbyist (associated with them at two or three removes) endorses?

[db]

Prepare for an all-out unionization effort at Whole Foods. I hope Mackey burns it to the fucking ground before he gives in.

[jasno]

This whole circus almost makes me want to shop a Whole Foods... almost.

[anarch]

a green/vegan/capitalist like myself

(OK, I eat sushi)

Even politicians wait a bit longer before contradicting themselves like that. 🙂

[24AheadDotCom]

I was just joking above, but now I see that Ariadne Huffanan wants to nationalize Whole Foods.

[hmm]

If I keep shopping and eating there I'm gonna get fat.

[hmm]

And poor.

[hmm]

Who am I kidding. I'm already poor.

[Nephilium]

jasno:

I actually made it a point to stop in at one after the flurry of articles over the past couple of weeks. I was already on the other side of town, so I went the extra 10 minutes to stop in.

Decent beer selection, nothing special... fruits and vegetables ridiculously overpriced, but I was able to find some things at a reasonable price, and some things even cheaper then the standard grocery stores in the area.

Maybe I'd stop in more frequently if there was one on my side of town.

Nephilium

[qwerty]

Great, the same people who destroyed our car industry are lecturing John Mackey.

[Matthew]

Oh Lonewacko, for surely, you are the cat's whiskers.

[Mike Laursen]

Is Lonewacko sick or something? He's making relatively (for him) on-topic comments that don't mention MexicanHordes, and linking to sites other than his own.

[Mack-0n]

I'm non-ideological on this issue. Just whatever works, so I think Mackey has some interesting ideas. The notion that someone should boycott someone's store for putting forth his own policy proposals is just childish. It makes me want to shop even more at Wholefoods, if it weren't so frackin' expensive.

[K.T.]

Deutschland, Deutschland ?ber alles.

[db]

a statement that it is calling on the Whole Foods board to remove Mackey as chairman

Dear Unions:

Please feel free to lodge your complaint at the next shareholders' meeting. You can be assured of influence over the Board by purchasing some company stock, which will result in your actually having a stake in the management of Whole Foods.

Sincerely,

The Board

[Matthew]

db,

You forgot,

" . . . otherwise, please do STFU.

Sincerely,

The Board"

[J.P.]

This whole Whole Foods thing sits funny with me. I generally respect individuals who patronize businesses with whom they agree politically, socially, agriculturally, etc. It's a great commentary on the power of consumer demand.

But... it's like the WholeFooders are/were living in some alternate universe. Mackey has never hidden his political/social/economic leanings.

What it says to me is that the WholeFooders were too idiotic to research a company they patronized and perceived as "socially responsible." When -- GASP -- the CEO espouses the same broad approach to health care as he does to other policy issues, they get their panties all up in a wad. Their holier than thou, religious right-like, culinary orthodoxy is one big crock of feces.

[I will say that CEOs should just keep their mouths shut on issues in the public spotlight. Why alienate any portion of your market?]

[The Libertarian Guy]

Unions won't be happy until every working American is a member.

Oh, and... shut the fuck up, Tony.

[MJ]

"a green/vegan/capitalist"

Well failing two out of three times is not bad...if you hit baseballs.

[MJ]

"The group said Mackey's op-ed was an "attempt to undermine Obama's health-care reform."

Technically, Obama has not made an attempt at reforming health care. He has not put forward his own plan, nor has he endorsed any of the Congressional plans, he has just made a vague demand for Congress to do something and keeps saying in speeches that his proposal does this and that, despite there's nothing published for anyone to check and see if it does anything of the sort he describes. So Mackey undermined the Dems plans, but someone should. It sucks.

I never realized that a CEO was supposed to adhere to the political beliefs of "key" segments of his consumer base, what if by firing Mackey the Whole Foods board offends the liberatarians and crunchy cons in it's consumer base?

[mark]

I don't recall anything offensive in the op-ed; did he single out some group and I missed it? Or is it now supposed to be "deeply offensive" to union members for someone to offer an alternative to a plan that a lobbyist (associated with them at two or three removes) endorses?

Here is the offensive section:

Health care is a service that we all need, but just like food and shelter it is best provided through voluntary and mutually beneficial market exchanges. A careful reading of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution will not reveal any intrinsic right to health care, food or shelter. That's because there isn't any. This "right" has never existed in America

Even in countries like Canada and the U.K., there is no intrinsic right to health care. Rather, citizens in these countries are told by government bureaucrats what health-care treatments they are eligible to receive and when they can receive them. All countries with socialized medicine ration health care by forcing their citizens to wait in lines to receive scarce treatments.

Unfortunately, the truth is offensive to some people.

What it says to me is that the WholeFooders were too idiotic to research a company they patronized and perceived as "socially responsible."

And yet, they had the skills to pull down a 5- or 6-figure income that allowed them to shop at Whole Foods. Boggles the mind, doesn't it?

[anonymous]

Sweet, does this means Republican run companies are justified in firing all of their insufficiently partisan employees once the Republicans have the White House again? For being unpatriotic and whatnot.

Alberto Gonzales had the right idea with the DOJ firings, but why stick to the public sector?

[B]

"C'mon. That shrike post @ 6:18 pm has to be a spoof."

Of course it is. It didn't contain a reference to Limbaugh, didn't state that those to the right of Nancy Pelosi are racist, and didn't imply that Obama can walk on water.

[HeadTater]

So when celebrities and business people used their clout to oppose a Bush, it was fine to the unions. Questioning authority is healthy, right?

But when a similar situation arises, it is an offense worthy of getting fired. Liberals and their double-standards! God forbid someone in a place of power have an opinion (that does not mesh with that of the unions). Besides, I thought the unions had the best interest of the workers in mind. Why do they support Obamacare then?

[John C. Randolph]

Unions won't be happy until every working American is a member.

They've got a lot of time on their hands since they destroyed Detroit, after all.

-jcr

[John C. Randolph]

I think the lesson for all businessmen to draw from this fracas is that catering to the whiney crunchy-granola pinko twat demographic may be profitable in the short term, but sooner or later they're going to go all witch-hunt on your ass if you deviate from the party line.

-jcr

[JW]

Christ on a fucking cracker. I feel endless shame that I once aided them with my dues.

I may do *all* of my shopping at Whole Foods now. UFCW stores will never see another thin dime from me.

[Seward]

I have noticed no drop in the amount of folks frequenting Whole Foods. It is as busy as ever.

[Beezard]

As an employee of Giant Foods (of Landover), I'm a dues paying member at Local 23sumthing or other. I'm a member because I have to be to work there. I work there because I had to have a job and no one else called me back. I stay there because THE MANAGEMENT got me a 6 dollar an hour raise. -All the Union gets me (the first year) is a new pair of shoes. To be fair they also make it hard for me to get fired if I feel like becoming a fuck off at work.

All the stuff my local mails me is ramping up a push for Card Check (excuse me brothers, I mean the Employee Free Choice Act)something fierce. Now THAT shit is scary.

[anon]

"UFCW stores will never see another thin dime from me."

JW,

That's exactly the right response. And please don't be shy to publicize the fact that you're boycotting union goods and services.

I work in capital markets and make it a point to force investors to think twice before investing in union companies. (It's become much easier after the Chrysler and GM forced bankrupties highlighted the risks.)

Company management will be forced to take notice when customers and investors are passing them over for non-union competitors.

[Sean W. Malone]

"I don't suppose the union could shed a buncha pesky benefits with ObamaCare in place could it?" has to be one of the most insightful things I've seen you write yet Brotherben... Well done sir.

[Nipplemancer]

i got a job at UPS right out of high school and upon hiring they tell you that in six months the Teamsters are going to collect $400 (at the time i was part-time and making less than 200 a week) as payment for dues that I owed them for not being in the union. Upon paying the fee I'm in the union and I get to pay dues which was something like $60 month.
Five months, two weeks later I gave my notice and enlisted in the Marine Corps.

[John C. Randolph]

dues that I owed them for not being in the union

Thanks the Franklin Delano Fucking Roosevelt, the unions get away with that kind of shakedown. They should be subject to anti-trust laws if anyone else is.

-jcr

[John C. Randolph]

they also make it hard for me to get fired if I feel like becoming a fuck off at work.

And of course, reduced labor productivity is the best way to ensure a secure future for all the union's members, right?

-jcr

[Paul]

shrike:

I believe I got something.

Health Care Reform Bill Includes Billions for Union Fund.

Holy shit... holy shit!

[Hazel Meade]

Speaking of idiotic grocery store union workers....
A few months back I was at a Safeway in the area, where I discovered that they didn't have automatic checkouts. I had to wait in line for an actual clerk to ring up my groceries.

Mystified, I asked the clerk why they iddn't have the automatic checkouts like everyone else. She commented that "We focus on customer service here.", with a vaguely smug smile. I commented that the automatic checkouts are usually faster and easier for the customer. She repeated "At Safeway we focus on customer service." I said, "I thought the whole Safeway thing was about ... you know, food safety." She repeated again the "Now we do customer service." With the same vaguely smug smile.

That particular store isn't exactly upscale.
So, I couldn't help but thinking that the store must have a unionized workforce that somehow managed to prevent the management from installing automatic checkout lines.
Needless to say, knowing that I'm going to have to stand in line at a regular old-fashioned checkout line makes me less liekly to shop there.

[JB]

Unions and union members = stupid cunts.

Avoid union products and services and that includes public school students.

[Johnny Longtorso]

Union, or just government?

http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/08/24/daily39.html?ana=e_bjtt

The U.S. Postal Service is offering thousands of employees cash incentives to retire or resign by the end of this fiscal year.

The latest cost-cutting move by the Postal Service could save it up to $500 million next year.

The incentive package, negotiated with unions, would give eligible employees $10,000 during the first quarter of fiscal year 2010, and another $5,000 during the first quarter of fiscal 2011. As many as 30,000 employees are eligible, the Postal Service says.

The offer is not being made to letter carriers. The majority of those eligible work at mail processing facilities.

The Postal Service is aiming to cut $6 billion in expenses this fiscal year by closing offices, halting new construction and cutting jobs.

The General Accounting Office recently added the Postal Service to its list of high-risk federal areas in need of change.

[JW]

As an employee of Giant Foods (of Landover), I'm a dues paying member at Local 23sumthing or other.

Local 22. Get it right, my (former) union brother!

I did over a decade in the trenches at the retail level. I still get the bad dreams, real hard, over that.

[John C Jackson]

Union grocery stores in my area pay minimum wage. Fuck unions.

[Seamus]

Wow. Remind me again why the Hollywood blacklist was a bad thing.

[Isaac Bartram]

Yes, I'm sure that Whole Foods employes are dying to join a union so that they cat have their wages and benefits cut and pay union dues and make contributions to the Democrats*.

*Actually, oddly enough, I suspect that most of them are doing the last item now.

[Enjoy Every Sandwich]

It is, as always, about The Chosen One (and those who have attached their egos to him). Anyone who disagrees that the universe revolves around them is selfish.

That sums it up. Or, as I once heard elsewhere, "A disciple is an asshole looking for a human being to attach itself to." - Robert Anton Wilson

[Zeb]

I don't like the self-checkout thing. I would like it if they gave you a discount for using it.

I am paying, as part of the price of my groceries, for someone to scan and bag my stuff.

[Beezard]

Local 22. Get it right, my (former) union brother!

yeah, that one. whatever.

Unions and union members = stupid cunts.

I agree with half of what you're saying. But until your non-union corporation wants to actually give me a call back when I need a job, I'd be a stupid cunt for NOT being a member.

It was that or unemployment.

Union grocery stores in my area pay minimum wage. Fuck unions.

They actually do tend to be lower. Not only that, it's MUCH harder to advance quickly in union jobs. Especially in the non-management sectors of the job you can actually make a living off of (like the meat dept).