Whole Foods sued by workers for barring BLM face coverings

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Updated 4:56 pm CDT, Monday, July 20, 2020

BOSTON (AP) — Whole Foods Market discriminated against its employees when it barred them from wearing Black Lives Matter face coverings while on the job, according to a federal lawsuit filed Monday in Boston.

The supermarket chain disciplined, intimidated and retaliated against the workers who were showing solidarity with the racial justice movement that had a resurgence of support following the May death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, according to the lawsuit.

Store managers cited the company dress code, which prohibits slogans or logos not affiliated with the company, as the reason for prohibiting Black Lives Matter messages.

Whole Foods in a statement said employees “must comply with our longstanding company dress code, which prohibits any visible slogans, messages, logos or advertising that are not company-related, on any article of clothing."

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/article/Whole-Foods-sued-by-workers-for-barring-BLM-face-15420906.php

[Initech]

1. Just bar any mask that isn't a solid color. Problem solved.

[warmfeet]

2. Constitutionally, they can do this.

Marketing-wise, this is a very bad move on their part.

Fuck whole foods. Not shopping there again. Whole foods can screw off!

[TomSlick]

3. Agreed.

[catsudon]

8. well, i certanly do not want to see

MAGA masks which has been selling quite well on a certain online store.

I don't shop there because they're overpriced.

[MuchBetterThanThis]

4. I wear my BLM stuff whenever I'm out, but not while representing my job.

I think this lawsuit is stupid. Over reach.. Think about it. You think it would be cool for employees to wear MAGA masks?

We can screw this up if we allow the extremes on our side go to far.

[mr_lebowski]

6. My thoughts exactly ... Welcome to DU!

[JDC]

7. I agree

[comradebillyboy]

9. Right you are...

[dflprincess]

13. Agreed nt

[murielm99]

16. When I as still working,

I never wore anything that displayed a political opinion. I think it is unprofessional, especially if one works with the public.

[DeminPennswoods]

19. Exactly

Businesses are about green, not red, blue or in between.

[Sherman A1]

5. The employees will lose this one

The workplace is not a democracy.

If the policy is as stated prohibiting slogans, logos not affiliated with the company, then that's the rule and you either abide by the rule or go home. They are free to support any organization or cause on their own time, but when they are at work, they are at work.

[SharonClark]

20. Well said.

[Miguelito Loveless]

10. The employer has the right to do what Whole Foods did

Of course, people will still see them as racist dickweeds.

[LisaM]

11. I agree with this. I don't want to see Trump's face, or a confederate flag...

Last edited Tue Jul 21, 2020, 02:56 AM - Edit history (1)

or a MAGA mask. Now, I don't believe these things are exact equivalents by any means with the Black Lives Matter slogan - far from it - but unfortunately, it acts as a trigger for some people and would probably spawn a few MAGA wearing workers at Whole Foods.

(I haven't shopped at Whole Foods since Amazon took them over, but I think this is occurring in other workplaces, too).

[catsudon]

18. i agree with you

now some of those pukes are trying to ask for the same rights to put anti-blm murals out there

[cstanleytech]

12. I lean towards the employees losing the fight as employers have a large degree of control over

what is acceptable attire for their employees while they are at work and on the clock.

[GulfCoast66]

14. When I go grocery shopping I don't want to see the employees wearing anything political.

I actually enjoy grocery shopping.

I just want to zone out and shop.

If I wore any political mask at work, right or left, I would no longer be employed. And my company leans left.

[rpannier]

15. Exactly

You took the words out of my mouth

[NurseJackie]

17. My advice is to choose another hill to die on.