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Iraqi refugee sues Whole Foods over alleged racist co-workers at Ink Block store

By adamg on Sat, 08/20/2016 - 1:53pm

The Boston Business Journal reports.

Neighborhoods: 
South End
Topics: 
Business
Free tagging: 
Whole Foods
Ink Block
Lawsuits


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Comments

By dmcboston on Sat, 08/20/2016 - 6:00pm.

"Siddeeq says Whole Foods management actually witnessed the discrimination Siddeeq faced. "Essentially, Whole Foods management told Siddeeq to get 'thicker skin' over the revolting hate speech spewed by [the employees]," the complaint states."
"In the 10-month span Siddeeq worked at the Ink Block, the lawsuit states, Siddeeq complained a total of six times to his supervisor and other managers that he was being discriminated and harassed. However, no remedial action was ever taken, according to the complaint."

Why are liberal companies like Whole Foods such hotbeds of discrimination?

By cw in boston on Sat, 08/20/2016 - 7:37pm.

makes you think Whole Foods is a "liberal" company?

By anon on Sat, 08/20/2016 - 7:41pm.

It's 'progressives', not liberals. They re-branded themselves decades ago.

Not for nothing, I heard Trader Joe's is even worse!

By BullDetector on Sat, 08/20/2016 - 11:35pm.

But lets take a look at some of those facts about Whole Foods being a liberal company shall we?

Whole Foods co CEO and founder- John Mackey
Is Libertarian
Opposes Obamacare
Strongly anti union
Believes climate change is natural but good for the environment

By bibliotequetress on Sun, 08/21/2016 - 9:06am.

John Mackey is an Ayn Rand groupie. Whole Foods is far, far from a "liberal company."

By mplo on Sun, 08/21/2016 - 10:46am.

has treated their employees rather disgracefully, but this particular incident takes the cake, especially since no remedial action(s) on the part of any Whole Foods employee(s) who made the disparaging comment(s) about the Iraqi worker in the first place, especially since management was right there to witness it first hand.

By Sally on Sun, 08/21/2016 - 11:40pm.

How so? Because they've been on the Best Places to Work list for 18+ years. http://www.businessinsider.com/what-its-really-like-to-work-at-whole-foo...

By Felicity on Sat, 08/20/2016 - 7:40pm.

I wonder if they ever resolved the issue, of allegedly forbidding employees from speaking Spanish. I Googled and couldnt find an ending to the story.

In response to the comment above:

Wholefoods and CEO John Mackey are not without controversy. He called President Obama a fascist, is against the ACA, is chums with a pedophile, says "climate change isn't bad," and the majority of the produce sold at WF, comes from CA farms that exploit workers. That was info gleaned from just a quick Google search.

By BlackKat on Sat, 08/20/2016 - 8:42pm.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/03/07/469521879/pre-peeled-oran...

By Irma la Douce on Sun, 08/21/2016 - 8:52am.

Packages sporting "Made Right Here" labels!!! In a related development , Symphony WF has begun packaging some premade sandwiches (previously packaged in plastic wrap only) in the same containers used for the oranges in the photo. Unnecessary and wasteful , IMO

By Sally on Sun, 08/21/2016 - 11:44pm.

to the brutal JP Whole Foods debate, where do you think most supermarkets get their produce if not from "CA farms that exploit workers?" News flash: every piece of fruit and veg you put in your mouth is grown and harvested by people working in brute conditions. If you want to pay extra for local, organic whatever then you're free to do do but at least WF spells it out and gives you a few more options.

By lbb on Mon, 08/22/2016 - 9:55am.

News flash: every piece of fruit and veg you put in your mouth is grown and harvested by people working in brute conditions.

News flash: you're wrong.

p.s. "fruit and veg"? Why the British affectation?

By anon on Sun, 08/21/2016 - 1:43pm.

What's to say the Iraqi is not making all of this up?

By adamg on Sun, 08/21/2016 - 1:58pm.

It's great to be American.

By Will LaTulippe on Mon, 08/22/2016 - 8:12am.

Courts place recording devices in Whole Foods breakrooms?

By No on Mon, 08/22/2016 - 9:40am.

They are called security cameras, moron. Maybe they have footage of him getting intentionally run down by a power jack (which aren't kept in the break room.) Maybe there were people in the break room who can testify they heard discrimination. He also complained to management. Maybe they would have something to say in court. Maybe the accused posted something on social media that could be arbitrated in court. Do we really need to add court systems to the list of things you don't understand?

By whaler on Mon, 08/22/2016 - 9:53am.

Because going to court with something is so easy

By EM Painter on Sun, 08/21/2016 - 5:25pm.

Yeah the rich-progressive attitude is nauseating but they seem to produce decent food.

By SwirlyGrrl on Sun, 08/21/2016 - 11:25pm.

No rich progressive attitude to be found. Just buckets of Randian woo.