Whole Foods workers nationwide have been struggling with poverty wages, a lack of health benefits, unsustainable workloads, and an array of other issues ever since Amazon took over the company in 2017. 

Workers in Philadelphia decided to take a stand for good jobs and respect by starting a union at the Center City store. We knew that we were better off joining together in a union to have a collective voice as workers.

We voted YES in our union election on January 27, 2025 and now 300 of us are ready to negotiate our first union contract to secure better wages, healthcare benefits and working conditions. We became the very first unionized Whole Foods out of more than 500 Amazon grocery stores and are proud members of UFCW Local 1776. 

Being united in our union, we’ve already been able to win:

• A $1 raise, increasing starting pay from $16/hour to $17/hour.

• Reduction of unrealistic workloads for workers who are e-commerce shoppers, and relief from harassment by managers about gruelling work quotas.

We are now fighting to negotiate a full union contract that includes:

• Livable Wages: Fair pay with consistent raises.

• Affordable Healthcare: Coverage for part-time workers and lower co-pays/deductibles for full-timers.

• Childcare Support: Subsidies for working parents.

• Improved Time Off: Faster accrual of paid time off (PTO) and unpaid time off (UPT).

• Fair Break Policies: All breaks paid.

• Job Security: Making sure all workers get due process for disciplinary actions.

• Training & Safety: Better job training and safer workplaces.

• Respect: Dignity and fairness for all workers.