I personally have nothing against Whole Foods, because I don't shop there. What I do find hilarious about the company, however, is how the vast majority of its clientele are liberals even though CEO John Mackey is a self-proclaimed libertarian who's actually far more to the right than he lets on, what with his calling of Obamacare “fascism,” his admiration of lunatic Ayn Rand, his union-bustinghatibg, and now his store policy that his workers can't speak Spanish on the clock under threat of suspension. REAL progressive there!
]
News of this broke today due to the reporting of Associated Press scribe (and my personal pal) Russell Contreras. Seems two workers at a Whole Foods in Albuquerque were told not to speak Spanish on the clock; when they went to complain about this policy, according to them, they were suspended.
A Whole Foods rep responded to Contreras that “all English speaking Team Members must speak English to customers and other Team Members while on the clock,” in a statement. “Team Members are free to speak any language they would like during their breaks, meal periods and before and after work.”
AKA: No speakee Spanish in front of our gabacho customers lest you make them feel uncomfortable.
It's Mackey's company, so he can have whatever policies he wants (although some New Mexico activists are claiming the company is in violation of the state's Constitution, which guarantees protection of Spanish speakers in the state). But again: the funny thing about this episode is that most of Whole Foods' so-called progressive customers won't give a damn, because it's far more important to them to think that they're making a difference in this world by buying overpriced organic goods than caring for the goodwill of Latino workers. And let's not even talk about the Latinos picking all those beautiful veggies, who ain't getting paid anywhere near fair wages…HILARIOUS!
Email: ga*******@oc******.com. Twitter: @gustavoarellano.
Follow Stick a Fork in It on Twitter @ocweeklyfood or on Facebook!
