[lbo-talk] decentralization, Whole Foods style

[J Cullen]

One of the problems in a large part of the country is that there are 
no unionized groceries, particularly in "right to be fired" states 
like Texas. In Austin I am unaware of any union grocery shops (the 
local AFL-CIO didn't know of any, either). Safeway, which I think is 
the largest union grocery chain, appears to be trying to bust its 
unions. It owns Randall's and Tom Thumb in Texas but I don't think 
the groceries in Austin are unionized. (If anybody knows differently, 
please let me know.)

There is the venerable Co-op near UT, but it is impractical for me to 
use. Austin has a couple Sun Harvest Foods stores, which is owned by 
Wild Oats out of Boulder, Colo. I don't think Sun Harvest is 
unionized but does anybody know what Wild Oats' labor relations are 
like?

-- Jim Cullen


>jfisher at pop.igc.org wrote:
>>exactly.
>>
>>i always thought it ironic that i could buy organic coffee from latin
>>american coops at whole foods. the irony is lost on the company -- 
>>apparently it's good to
>>support coffee coops, but not union grocery shops.
>>
>>j
>
>So why don't you buy your yuppie organic coffee from a unionized 
>store or an independent co-op?
>
>Chuck0
>
>