Managers at Amazon-owned Whole Foods Market have reportedly been sent a 45-minute training video on how to stop employees from trying to unionize.
The training video is said to have been created by Amazon and sent out to ‘Team Leaders’ at the supermarket chain in late September, according to Gizmodo.
The animated video is said to have six sections, which were ‘specifically designed to give you the tools that you need for success when it comes to labor organizing,’ as the video narrator is quoted as saying.
Team Leaders at Amazon-owned Whole Foods were reportedly sent a 45-minute training video with tips on how to spot employees attempting to unionize
Among the warning signs were use of ‘union words’ and changes in behavior or interactions
The narrator is also quoted as saying that while the company might not be ‘anti-union,’ it is ‘not neutral either.’
The video states that the company doesn’t ‘believe unions are in the best interest of our customers, our shareholders, or most importantly, our associates.’
Losing sight of ‘speed, innovation, and customer obsession—things that are generally not associated with union’ could ‘jeopardize everyone’s job security: yours, mine, and the associates,’ the narrator says.
Clips of the video that have started to spread online show an animated figure of a male character in a bright yellow safety vest, standing in front of a conveyor belt with brown boxes.
The character goes on to discuss warning signs of potential unionizing, such as usage of key words, wearing of union clothing and changes in behavior or interactions between employees.
The video is also said to be a coaching tool on union busting, where Team Leaders are told that ‘Bargaining is a roll of the dice. Things could get better for associates, but they could get worse or stay exactly the same,’ according to the Guardian.
The training video was reportedly sent out just weeks after a mass email was sent to employees regarding coordinating to discuss the prospect of unionizing
Whole Foods managers were also said to be sent to training meetings about what to do about unionizing employees (stock image)
Scare tactics are said to have been deployed in the videos seen by media outlets, including references to the fact that General Motors’ bankruptcy was a symptom of labor unions, while noting that union political donations tend to be given to Democrats.
At the same time, managers were also instructed on tactics that they should not use when confronting the possibility of unionizing employees.
One such example of what not to do was demonstrated with the acronym T.I.P.S., standing for Threaten, Interrogate, Promise, Spy.
The video distribution appears to have been a response to a September 6 mass email from the ‘Whole Worker Community’ that was sent out to Whole Food employees regarding coordinating to discuss the prospect of unionizing and discussing workplace issues.
Workers told the Guardian that following the email, managers and Team Leaders were also sent to training meetings concerning unionization.
When questioned about the meetings by their staff, managers were said to have ‘declined to comment or made something up’ about the content of the meetings.
In a statement obtained by Gizmodo, an Amazon spokesperson wrote, that the company was ‘perplexed’ about why the media organization ‘takes issue with a company wanting to better engage its employees, train hundreds of managers to maintain an open and direct dialogue with associates, and create channels to drive innovation on behalf of the customer in a caring and inclusive environment.’
The statement also said that Gizmodo had ‘clearly cherry-picked soundbites from the video to meet his editorial objective and do not align with our view on how to create career opportunities for employees.’
The company went on to tout it’s $15 per hour wage — which includes cash, stock and incentive bonuses — and full healthcare insurance, retirement, training and parental leave.
Amazon, said to be the second-largest employer in the US, purchased the Whole Foods chain for $13.7billion in 2017.