But it turns out that Mackeys claims, which also fueled conservative opposition to the Democrats health-care bill, were misleading. In a memo that he sent to all employees last month, obtained by Mother Jones, Mackey concedes that Whole Foods is actually sinking under the weight of its health care expenses. In the past seven years, he writes, the cost of the company’s health care plan as a percentage of its sales has gone up 60 percent. This year’s tab is “equal to about 10% of the total Team Member compensation of $2 billion,” Mackey complains. “On average over the past three years we have spent more on health care costs than we have made in total net profits!”

via Whole Foods CEO: Yes, We Have No Obamacare | Mother Jones.

You sir sound like the big auto corporations and Wal-Mart who were saying the same thing! Some of them actually joined with then SEIU President Andy Stern to push for a healthcare coverage solution that was national in its scope. Mr. Mackey you could have been a part of that. As much as I dislike Wal-Mart even they while not providing healthcare for part timers–which is a large amount of their workforce–told them how to sign up for healthcare from “big guv’mint.”

I could not be happier to see Whole Foods CEO—Mr. anti-universal healthcare John Mackey get a much needed smackdown.

A 2008 incident in which Whole Foods CEO John Mackey took matters into his own hands and launched an anonymous (but later high-profile) online attack on a competitor has become the impetus behind a new proposal approved by shareholders this week. The upscale grocer’s investors green-lighted a nonbinding proposal to make it easier for shareholders to oust a director whose conduct they deem inappropriate. If adopted, the proposal, which passed by a slim majority, would roll back a bylaw change that Whole Foods directors put in place in 2008 after the SEC discovered Mackey’s actions.

After reading this on a NY Times blog I can’t help but think that this is what they are out to do. I have to agree with the following statement.

Elizabeth A. Shollenberger, director of government benefits and consumer law for Queens Legal Services, said that in the last six months her office had seen an uptick of cases like Mr. Reese’s, in which unemployment claims were being challenged. It is a phenomenon happening not only in New York, but also across the country. “A lot more people are getting fired for very minor reasons,” said Ms. Shollenberger, who represented Mr. Reese.

“What we are seeing is that they are firing people for ‘misconduct’ when what they are really doing is downsizing and it’s an attempt to not pay benefits,” she said.

Just because they’re organic and all that good stuff doesn’t mean they are not a chain and subject to the ills of being a large corporation.

The United Farm Workers is trying to organize Beef Northwest and is currently involved in a major dispute with the corporation. Whole Foods on the other hand is now reversing their stand that they would not purchase beef from Beef Northwest until both parties had come to an agreement.