Journalists’ union piles on against Ontario Progressive Conservatives

Another union has come out swinging against Tim Hudak's Ontario Progressive Conservatives ahead of the June 12th election.

In a press release and YouTube video released on Monday, Unifor Local 87-M — historically known as the Southern Ontario Newsmedia Guild — is telling its members not to vote for the PCs.

"This is a big deal for us. As a media local representing a large number of journalists, we have strict policies against endorsing candidates or contributing financially to election campaigns," the union's president, Paul Morse, is quoted as saying.

"But the threat of Hudak and his circle of Tea Party groupies is too great for us to remain silent. We're not telling our members who to vote for. We're asking them to vote for someone other than Hudak and his party."

[ Related: Globe chooses Hudak, Star picks Wynne: Should newspapers publish election endorsements? ]

In the four-minute plus video — narrated by Sun News columnist Jim Slotek — members are provided with the "practical reasons" for not voting for Hudak's party.

Slotek cites, among other things, Hudak's musings about 'right-to-work' legislation and the party's "hatred of organized labour."

The union's press release identifies where its members work; the list included the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, the Toronto Sun.

[ Related: Ontario police union produces its first ever political attack ads ]

Last week, the Ontario Provincial Police Association caused a stir when it — for the first time in that organization's history — produced political attack ads targeting the PCs.

Despite the obvious conflict of interest concerns, the OPPA — as a public sector union — has a lot more at stake with regard to layoffs, pensions, wages etc...

In that sense, Unifor's message to its private sector members is a little more surprising. And certainly, there are some who will suggest that their edict raises questions about the journalism industry's neutrality when it comes to politics.

Federal Conservative MP Jason Kenney has a problem with it. He voiced his frustration on Twitter.

In a telephone interview with Yahoo Canada News, however, Morse says that's not the case. He claims that this is simply a message from union leadership advising members what will happen if the PCs form government.

"We haven't put ads out on TV, we haven't appealed to the general public," he said.

"But really...we believe our members have to understand the dangerous times that we live in when we have this kind derelict right-wing ideology prone to crack down on us if given the opportunity.

Morse added that he thinks most of the general public understands the difference between what journalists do versus what the union representing them says.

"There's no conspiracy happening," he told Yahoo.

"Journalists still are going out on a daily basis doing their job with complete objectivity and neutrality."

What do you think?

Is the union message to its a membership appropriate? Is it justified?

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

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