The National Labor Relations Board alleged that Whole Foods Market illegally banned employees from wearing “Black Lives Matter” apparel on the job.
In a complaint issued by the NLRB’s San Francisco office on Friday and first reported on by Bloomberg, the organization claimed the Amazon-owned grocery chain broke federal labor law by prohibiting staffers from wearing or displaying Black Lives Matter messaging on their masks or clothes.
The dress code was enforced in 2020 during the height of national Black Lives Matter protests that swept the country in response to the murder of George Floyd by a police officer, the filing states. Whole Foods was among a number of companies across industries where employees participated in demonstrations calling attention to issues of racial injustice in the workplace.
A Whole Foods spokesperson told Insider that the company’s dress code policy prohibits employees from wearing attire with visible slogans, messages, or logos displaying statements not related to the company. No individual message or slogan is specified in the policy or enforced individually, the spokesperson noted.
“Our dress code policy is designed to ensure we are giving team members a workplace and customers a shopping experience focused entirely on excellent service and high-quality food,” the spokesperson told Insider. “We do not believe we should compromise that experience by introducing any messages on uniforms, regardless of the content, that shift the focus away from our mission.”
The NLRB claims Whole Foods was in violation of federal labor law, under which workers have the right to engage in “concerted activities for their mutual aid and protection,” and participate in collective action tied to issues in the workplace.
According to the filing, Whole Foods also illegally participated in retaliatory behavior against employees who wore the apparel, including allegedly sending some staffers home without pay and firing others. Workers in 10 states said they faced punitive action from the company.
“Issues of racial harassment and discrimination are central to employees’ working conditions, and the National Labor Relations Act protects employees’ right to advocate for change,” Jill Coffman, the NLRB regional director in San Francisco, said in a statement. “Through this complaint, we seek to enforce the act and protect workers’ rights to speak up about these important issues.”
The NLRB has responded to multiple complaints over the past year regarding alleged retaliatory behavior against staffers who have spoken out against racism and discrimination at companies like Apple, Google, and Netflix.
A representative for the NLRB did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
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Read the original article on Business Insider
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Once again the NLRB puts liberal politics above its job. Employee dress restrictions are reasonable rules for the good of the business.
If I see BLM shirts on employees in stores that I shop at I will go elsewhere! Whole Food is right to enforce a neutral dress code.
All the scumbags in this corrupt socialist government should be sued for the violation of every constitutional right of every citizen be put on trial for treason and executed, these jerks need to be put in her place by the people before they lose their freedoms, these fascist will never stop promoting socialism cuz they don’t give a crap about our country , the scumbags only care about how much money they could stash away before their elitist friends destroy our country.
All work places pretty much have a dress code, no politics etc. BLM I know thinks they should get special treatment but too bad you don’t get more rights than everyone else you get the same rights. These people make me sick anywhere I see BLM BS I no longer shop there.
BLM bs is enough in my world , ALL LIVES MATTER
Leave these people alone. According to MSM, liberals in Washington and Hollywood they have a constitutional right to destroy our once Great Nation.