Labor Lawyer Michelle Devitt Discusses Whole Foods Union Dispute

Workers at a Philadelphia Whole Foods have voted to become the first store in the grocery chain to unionize. However, the certification of this vote has been delayed for several months due to the Trump administration’s firing of National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member Gwynne Wilcox. Without a quorum, the NLRB is unable to perform many of its core functions, hamstringing labor campaigns across the country.

Willig, Williams & Davidson partner Michelle “Micky” Devitt represents the union and former Whole Foods workers the union alleges were fired due to their organizing. She spoke with Reuters about the store’s retaliatory actions, saying, “You can use all these tactics to erode the support of the union … if you make it so scary and so unpleasant and so perilous to be associated with the union.”

After the election, Whole Foods has filed multiple objections with the NLRB, which cannot be resolved while the Board only has two members. Two NLRB nominees await confirmation; in the meantime, at least 50 disputes regarding union elections remain in limbo.

Read the full article online: Frozen feud: How Trump and the Supreme Court helped put historic Whole Foods union bid on ice