Ontario media union endorses anyone but Tim Hudak
Journalistic objectivity is a fraught notion even under ideal circumstances. Even so, it’s a little astonishing (and a true indicator of how contentious this month’s provincial election really is) that a union that represents some of the best journalists in Toronto and around the province has abandoned all pretence of impartiality in the hopes of steering its members away from Tim Hudak and his Progressive Conservative party.
In a press release issued earlier today, Unifor Local 87-M—which represents journalists at the Globe, the Star, the Sun and dozens of other large and small media outlets around the province—announced what it calls an “unprecedented” decision to discourage its members from voting for the Ontario Tories, a party Local 87-M president Paul Morse is quoted as calling a “circle of Tea Party groupies.” There’s even a video (see above) featuring Jim Slotek, the union’s Toronto Sun chair, whose paper just endorsed Hudak. The union isn’t endorsing any of the other major parties.
It makes sense for a union to oppose a party that once seemed bent on permanently curbing the power of organized labour, but no group of journalists would take a public stance like this lightly. Clearly, Hudak is scaring the shit out of people—which, as far as some voters are concerned, is one of his strengths.
Remember: election day is Thursday.
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