This Friday: Tell the “Whole” Truth About Whole Foods & Health Care Reform!

http://talkingunion.wordpress.com/2009/08/28/this-friday-tell-the-whole-truth-about-whole-foods-health-care-reform/

Posted on August 28, 2009 by dsalaborblogmoderator

WFmakesmesickWhole Foods CEO John Mackey isn’t being honest about health care reform. In his recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, Mackey denies health care as a human right, advocates for weaker insurance industry regulations, andattacks real health care reform as a “government takeover”.

This Friday Massachusetts Jobs with Justice and others want to call attention to the poor health care coverage Whole Foods employees themselves receive. Whole Foods has pioneered the use of high-deductible health insurance for its full-time workers, the policy long advocated for the nation by George W. Bush, while the company leaves part-time workers out-to-dry completely.

Come out this Friday to ask CEO John Mackey and Whole Foods:

Why 1,358 Whole Foods workers and their children were forced to enroll in subsidized public health insurance plans for uninsured families in Massachusetts last year, costing tax-payers almost $1.7 million;

Why Whole Foods doesn’t pay for health benefits for part-time employees; and Why Whole Foods full-time employees are forced into high-deductible insurance plans that shift the costs of health care from the company to the worker.

Join Mass Jobs with Justice, Boston DSA, and others at 5pm this Friday at Whole Foods stores in Massachusetts to let customers know the “Whole” truth: we need fundamental health care reform to make sure that everyone in our country – including uninsured and underinsured Whole Foods workers – have comprehensive access to health care. Organizers will be targeting the three locations below in the Boston area, but if there is a Whole Foods near you and you would like to get involved, we can supply flyers and get you started!

Contact the Health Care Action Committee at jake@massjwj.net to get in touch.

DATE/TIME: Friday 8/28 5:00 pm

THREE LOCATIONS:
Boston

Charles River Plaza
181 Cambridge Street

Contact: Benjamin Day, Mass-Care
director@masscare.org, 617.777.3422
Cambridge

Central Square
115 Prospect Street
Contact: Jennifer Doe, Jobs With Justice
jennifer@massjwj.net, 908.420.9632
Brighton

15 Washington Street
Contact: Jake Williams, Jobs With Justice
jake@massjwj.net, 860.281.9792

:grr: But what can we really expect.

Mr. kt and I shopped at WF at least twice a week, but usually more. I have been a part of the boycott since I first heard of it just days after the OP-ed was published. We plunked down quite a bag of coins for our organic veggies and my organic hair coloring. Not any more. We've switched all our shopping to Trader Joe's, local farmer's market and union grocery stores.

Haven't been going there now and got roots....lol...need to find somewhere else to buy that stuff!

I had already stopped shopping there after 2 visits - just way too pricey, and not better quality for the higher prices. I got tomatoes there that tasted like plastic.

I'm back to Trader Joes, the local farm stand, and my local family non-chain grocer.

Maybe if I had access to better and cheaper health care, I could afford it. :)