Wikimedia Foundation refuses voluntary union recognition, hires union-busting law firm

God dammit, this is like the moment the Titanic first hit the iceberg. No matter how this labor issue is resolved, it will permanently demonize Wikimedia. No matter how valuable Wikipedia is or has ever been, current culture provides no foregiveness or path of redemption after an ethical transgression. Again, dammit, I love Wikipedia and have been donating steadily for years.

Let’s not say never. Because they can course correct but it has to be hard pivot:

• immediately recognize the union
• in the same statement, provide a path for every other employee to form a union and guarantee that if formation passes, that they will immediately recognize it
• commit whatever amount they were going to pay their union busting attorneys plus 25% towards helping other unionizing efforts across the tech industry
• provide free legal services for unions at other companies to help them get recognized

The fact that Wikimedia foundation chose profits over people is absolutely disgusting.