Whole Foods has a system to keep track of which of its stores are most likely to form or join a union, including a heat map that shows which stores are considered high-risk, Business Insider reports.

The company uses more than two dozen different metrics to measure stores, including employee loyalty, racial diversity, calls to a “tipline,” and violations as recorded by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 

Business Insider also notes that Whole Foods also includes local demographic and economic data, such as the unemployment rate and the percentage of families that live below the poverty line in each store’s area. This information is used to create a heat map that shows red spots around the stores most likely to unionize.

"The [Team Member] Relations Heatmap is designed to identify stores at risk of unionization," Whole Foods said in a statement. "This early identification enables resources to be funneled to the highest need locations, with the goal of mitigating risk by addressing challenges early before they become problematic."

It adds, "Whole Foods Market recognizes the rights of our Team Members to decide whether union representation is right for them. We agree with the overwhelming majority of our Team Members that a direct relationship with Whole Foods Market and its leadership, where Team Members have open lines of communication and every individual is empowered to share feedback directly with their team leaders, is best."

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