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<h1>Whole Foods revises wording of English-only policy</h1>
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5:32 PM, Jun 15, 2013
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</p><p>Whole <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="" href="http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/321006/12/Whole-Foods-revises-wording-of-English-only-policy#" id="itxthook0" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook0p" class=""><span id="itxthook0w" class="" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">Foods</span><img class="" id="itxthook0icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding: 0px 0px 0px 4px ! important; margin: 0px ! important; vertical-align: baseline ! important;"></span></a> has a whole new language policy for its employees.</p>
<p>Just days after an <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="" href="http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/321006/12/Whole-Foods-revises-wording-of-English-only-policy#" id="itxthook1" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook1p" class=""><span id="itxthook1w" class="" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">online</span><img class="" id="itxthook1icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding: 0px 0px 0px 4px ! important; margin: 0px ! important; vertical-align: baseline ! important;"></span></a>
petition began to gather momentum after two Whole Foods employees say
they were suspended for speaking Spanish to each other on the job, the
nation's largest natural foods chain has apologized for its unclear
language policy -- and changed it.</p>
<p>Whole Foods Market co-CEO Walter Robb posted this statement on his
blog on Friday: "On behalf of our senior leadership team, I apologize
that a section of our employee handbook regarding team <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="" href="http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/321006/12/Whole-Foods-revises-wording-of-English-only-policy#" id="itxthook2" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook2p" class=""><span id="itxthook2w" class="" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">member</span><img class="" id="itxthook2icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding: 0px 0px 0px 4px ! important; margin: 0px ! important; vertical-align: baseline ! important;"></span></a>
interactions in the workplace was not clearly written, and for any
misunderstandings or offense it has created," Robb said. "Its intention
was to foster inclusion, not exclusion. We have changed the wording of
this section and will ensure the new wording and more importantly, the
intention behind it, is reviewed and discussed at all store and facility
meetings, which will be within 45 days' time."</p>
<p>The move came shortly after activists from the organization
MoveOn.org delivered a petition started by ProgressNow New Mexico to
Whole Foods headquarters in Austin to demand that the company end its
"English only" policy in stores. The petition amassed more than 15,000
signatures in about one week. Those who signed said they would boycott
shopping at Whole Foods.</p>
<p>For Whole Foods, a chain whose natural and organic <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="" href="http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/321006/12/Whole-Foods-revises-wording-of-English-only-policy#" id="itxthook3" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook3p" class=""><span id="itxthook3w" class="" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">food</span><img class="" id="itxthook3icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding: 0px 0px 0px 4px ! important; margin: 0px ! important; vertical-align: baseline ! important;"></span></a>
offerings tend to attract a large number of shoppers with liberal
political views, the petition has been a thorn in its image. The move is
expected to nudge other retailers to revise or reconsider their
language policies, too.</p>
<p>On Thursday, activists from MoveOn.org delivered the petition to
Whole Foods headquarters in Austin to demand that the company end its
"English-only" policy in stores. </p>
<p>"We are thankful that the company listened to its <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="" href="http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/321006/12/Whole-Foods-revises-wording-of-English-only-policy#" id="itxthook4" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook4p" class=""><span id="itxthook4w" class="" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">customers</span><img class="" id="itxthook4icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding: 0px 0px 0px 4px ! important; margin: 0px ! important; vertical-align: baseline ! important;"></span></a>
and was willing to revise its policies to reflect the growing diversity
of our communities," says Pat Davis, executive director of ProgressNow
New Mexico, an advocacy organization based in Albuquerque. </p>
<p>Robb says it's been a learning experience for Whole Foods.</p>
<p>"This incident in New Mexico provided us the opportunity to revise
language in our handbook, which does not reflect and does not align with
the spirit of this company or our track record of respect and
appreciation for our team <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="" href="http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/321006/12/Whole-Foods-revises-wording-of-English-only-policy#" id="itxthook5" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook5p" class=""><span id="itxthook5w" class="" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">members</span><img class="" id="itxthook5icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding: 0px 0px 0px 4px ! important; margin: 0px ! important; vertical-align: baseline ! important;"></span></a> over the past 33 years," Robb added.</p>
<p>"We hope and believe our revised language unequivocally <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="" href="http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/321006/12/Whole-Foods-revises-wording-of-English-only-policy#" id="itxthook6" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook6p" class=""><span id="itxthook6w" class="" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">communicates</span><img class="" id="itxthook6icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding: 0px 0px 0px 4px ! important; margin: 0px ! important; vertical-align: baseline ! important;"></span></a>
our support for our team members to honor and celebrate their cultures
by speaking the language they prefer, while also helping to ensure a
safe, respectful and courteous work and shopping environment," said Robb
in the blog post.</p>
<p>The brouhaha began after two employees, based in Albuquerque, said
they were suspended for complaining to a manager about a reprimand they
had received for speaking Spanish to each other while on the job. Whole
Foods said the two employees were suspended for poor behavior, not for
speaking Spanish.</p>
<p>"This action shows just how effective grass-roots voices can be to effect change," says Marsha Garcia of ProgressNow New Mexico.</p>
<p>
Bruce Horovitz, USA TODAY <br></p><p><a href="http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/321006/12/Whole-Foods-revises-wording-of-English-only-policy">http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/321006/12/Whole-Foods-revises-wording-of-English-only-policy</a><br>
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