According to the New York Times, on January 27, 2025, workers at a Whole Foods Market in Philadelphia voted 130 to 100 in favor of unionizing with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). This vote, certified by the National Labor Relations Board, represents the first successful unionization effort within the Amazon-owned grocery chain and signifies a new chapter in Amazon’s ongoing struggle to resist unionization across its various business operations. 

Store employees voiced their hope that a union could secure higher wages and improved benefits. Long-term staff members, some of whom have been with Whole Foods since before Amazon’s acquisition in 2017, cited cuts in benefits and staffing levels under Amazon’s ownership as significant sources of discontent. Beyond addressing local concerns, union organizers expressed a broader objective: to ignite a larger unionization movement throughout Whole Foods’ network of over 500 stores, further propelling the growing wave of labor organizing among Amazon’s warehouse and delivery workers. “This fight is far from over,” stated Wendell Young IV, president of UFCW Local 1776.

The successful unionization effort unfolded in an environment that several workers described as intimidating. Employees reported increased surveillance and a surge in anti-union messaging within the store after publicly announcing their organizing efforts in the fall of 2024. Earlier in January 2025, UFCW Local 1776 filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing Whole Foods of retaliating against a pro-union employee by terminating the worker. The union also alleged that the company excluded workers at the unionizing store when it granted raises to other Whole Foods employees in the Philadelphia area. According to the union, this exclusion was an act of retaliation for their involvement in the union drive, intended to discourage other workers from organizing by creating a sense of inequality and unfair treatment. The union contended that this action not only violated workers’ rights but also attempted to undermine the burgeoning labor movement within the company by using financial incentives to suppress union support. However, the company denied these allegations of retaliation, asserting that it could not legally alter wages during the election process and had postponed a raise until after the election to avoid any appearance of trying to influence votes.

Nevertheless, winning a union vote does not guarantee that contract negotiations will proceed smoothly. For example, Amazon warehouse workers who unionized nearly three years ago still lack a contract. In 2022, workers on Staten Island voted to form Amazon’s first union in the United States, now affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Amazon has challenged the outcome in court and has refused to engage in negotiations with the union. Delivery drivers employed by third-party companies contracted by Amazon have initiated their own campaigns with the Teamsters. In January 2025, Amazon announced its decision to shut down all its warehouse and logistics operations in Quebec, a Canadian province where unions had begun to gain traction among Amazon workers, resulting in the layoff of 1,700 employees.

Workers at the Whole Foods in Philadelphia successfully winning their union election represents a significant step forward in their fight for improved working conditions. This victory marks the beginning of a new chapter, as employees are now reaching out to more of their colleagues to build a broader, company-wide movement. They are advocating for fair wages, benefits, and respect necessary not just to survive, but to truly thrive. Their aim is to transform Whole Foods into the kind of workplace they believe it can be, one that upholds its values and treats its workers with dignity.

by Caitlyn Pantaleon