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democrat_patriot

(2,774 posts)
Wed Jan 23, 2013, 12:02 PM Jan 2013

My response from Whole Foods regarding CEO's remarks about healthcare


For what it's worth:

Dear Customers,

Thank you for contacting Whole Foods Market to share your thoughts on John Mackey’s recent comments in the media. We understand and are concerned about your feelings of disappointment. We are hearing from many of our customers about this, and we are sharing all of the feedback we’re receiving with our leadership team, that includes both co-CEOs.

I want to acknowledge that we may not be able to provide a response that satisfies your comments, but we do want to provide some clarification. Here are the facts about the healthcare offered by Whole Foods Market:

All full time Team Members (30+ hours per week) who have reached a minimum term of service (either 10 or 20 weeks, depending on their job) are eligible to receive health benefits – that’s the great majority of our Team Members. No eligible team member who has reached this term of service has to pay more than 10 dollars per paycheck for their health benefits and may add family members to the plan at a slightly higher cost. Tobacco users pay an additional surcharge of 12 dollars per paycheck. Every three years, Team Members also have the opportunity to select their benefits in a company-wide vote.

Thank you for your feedback. Again, I understand this message may not win back your support, but I do hope you'll reconsider and please know that we are listening and working to make our stores (and our company) a positive part of your life.

Kind regards,
Rachael

Rachael Gruver
Customer Information Specialist
Whole Foods Market Global Headquarters
550 Bowie Street
Austin, TX 78703
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My response from Whole Foods regarding CEO's remarks about healthcare (Original Post) democrat_patriot Jan 2013 OP
"a positive part of your life." ellisonz Jan 2013 #1
I worked in one of their corporate offices for a very short time in 2008. CrispyQ Jan 2013 #2
Would you like a translation? I speak a little Corporate Pigfxcker CEO--had to learn it while I was MADem Jan 2013 #3

ellisonz

(27,711 posts)
1. "a positive part of your life."
Wed Jan 23, 2013, 12:10 PM
Jan 2013

It's too bad their main competitors aren't exactly pro-union, but at least they're not run by a raving mad tycoon. I've occasionally grabbed a bite at Whole Foods while on the run, no more.

BTW - For those who don't know what this about: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/16/whole-foods-ceo-obamacare-fascism_n_2488029.html

CrispyQ

(36,461 posts)
2. I worked in one of their corporate offices for a very short time in 2008.
Wed Jan 23, 2013, 12:20 PM
Jan 2013

She is right that the employees get to vote on their benefits. The office workers were PO'd because the majority of employees were store workers. The office workers wanted 401k matching, but the store workers wanted better health benefits & they always won out. They had a very decent health/dental benefit plan.

At the time I worked there, when an employee reached five years, their entire health premium was paid for by the company - even if they had the family plan. A lot of employees have a lot of seniority there.

I worked in IT. They put us on salary, gave us a laptop & expected us to work at night. We spent the day putting out fires cuz our manager, oops, I mean "team leader," was an incompetent buffoon. Also they wouldn't fill the four open positions the department had. One night, while I was working & my husband was watching TV, I calculated what my hourly rate would be. I hadn't worked that cheap in two decades. The next day I gave notice.

To be fair to Mackey, the regional president is an asshole, too.

MADem

(135,425 posts)
3. Would you like a translation? I speak a little Corporate Pigfxcker CEO--had to learn it while I was
Wed Jan 23, 2013, 12:24 PM
Jan 2013

in the military!!!

Dear Irritating Serfs We'd Prefer to Ignore,

Thank you for contacting Whole Foods Market to share your thoughts on John Mackey’s recent comments in the media. We understand and are not really concerned about your feelings of disappointment, but we'll pretend we are to get you off our backs. We are hearing from many of our customers about this, and we are sharing all of the feedback we’re receiving with our leadership team, that includes both co-CEOs.

I want to acknowledge that we have no intention of giving you a straight answer, but we'll play the bullshit PR game, and put so many damn words in this letter that you just might not read it and be satisfied with getting a lousy response from us. Anyway, Here are the facts about the healthcare offered by Whole Foods Market:

All full time Team Members (30+ hours per week) who have reached a minimum term of service (either 10 or 20 weeks, depending on their job) are eligible to receive health benefits – that’s the great majority of our Team Members. No eligible team member who has reached this term of service has to pay more than 10 dollars per paycheck for their health benefits and may add family members to the plan at a slightly higher cost. Tobacco users pay an additional surcharge of 12 dollars per paycheck. Drink a little? We'll tack on another twenty. Smoke that weed? We'll steal your shit outta your locker and then fire your ass. We like firing people! Every three years, Team Members also have the opportunity to select their benefits in a company-wide vote.

Thank you for your feedback. Again, I understand this message may not win back your support, but the board of directors intends to muzzle our fearless leader so he doesn't shoot off his big fat lip and screw with our bottom line--we're raking it in but good here at Whole Paycheck, and we don't need no big mouth, mushmouth owner with Papa John-style diarrhea of the mouth reaching into our wallets and taking away our big fat bonuses. So listen up, people, you put your criticisms aside, pay no attention to the fact that we LOVE US some part time workers with no benefits, and keep spending your money on our overpriced shit. I do hope you'll reconsider and please know that we are listening and laughing like hell behind your backs while we pretend that we are working to make our stores (and our company) a positive part of your life.

Kind regards (suckers),
Rachael

Rachael Gruver
Customer Information Specialist

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