The liberal media watchdog group Media Matters for America is actively fighting against a bid to unionize its workers, according to a report by the Washington Examiner.
The two groups had previously hoped the matter could be resolved without litigation, but Media Matters has hired law firm Perkins Coie and plans to oppose the bid from Service Employees International Union Local 500.
“We are disappointed Media Matters is taking this route,” union spokesman Christopher Honey told the Examiner.
The communications director for Media Matters, Jess Levin, said Saturday that the nonprofit was not “actively opposing” unionization, but she declined to elaborate on how it was responding to Local 500’s bid.
Media Matters had previously rejected Local 500’s bid for a Card Check election, which prompted the union to petition the National Labor Relations Board.
The union has the backing of 36 of its 51 workers, Mr. Honey told the Examiner.
The fight seems to contradict many of the progressive causes Media Matters has tried so hard to bolster. Many articles in the group’s blog are written in favor of unionization and even demonize conservative media for running a “campaign” against organized labor.
“Decreasing union membership is often celebrated by the right-wing as an ideological victory, when it in fact represents an economic policy failure. The right-wing media remain unflinching in their constant attacks on worker mobilization and labor unions.,” writes Craig Harrington in the group’s blog on Sept. 17.
And in a March 5 article, Media Matters writes as “fact” that “unionization can increase individual firms’ productivity by encouraging investment and increasing the supply of highly-skilled labor.”
The Examiner reports that the SEIU is also a top contributor to the watchdog group, donating $150,000 between 2009 and 2012 and “accounting for about one-fifth of all money it received from unions.”
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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