Two UFCW Canada Local 1006A members are shaking up the Canadian media establishment.
The dynamic duo of Luke LeBrun and Luke Savage are behind one of the country’s most dynamic digital media outlets.
PressProgress is a must-read news outlet, which blends together traditional reporting, investigative journalism and fact-checking to provide a much-needed critical and progressive voice within the Canadian media landscape.
The news outlet has won over many readers across the country, racking up web hits and shares. Last year, PressProgress’ stories were shared more than half a million times.
Editor Luke LeBrun shared his thoughts on PressProgress with 1006A.
1) What type of role does PressProgress play in the Canadian media landscape / Canadian society?
Canada's newspapers and airwaves have long been dominated by right-wing voices who push the interests of big business over the interests of workers. We see it as our role to restore some balance to the mix through critical, fact-based reporting.
2) What does PressProgress offer to readers?
PressProgress does a lot of digging to find stories traditional media outlets miss, like the time we found a video of a Conservative MP comparing Stephen Harper to Jesus. That became the top trending story on Twitter and was covered by CBC's The National that night.
We also shine a critical light on Canada's conservative movement along with right-wing, anti-union groups like the Fraser Institute or the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
Recently, PressProgress analyzed how the media covered Ontario's new minimum wage increase and produced data showing coverage was heavily slanted towards business interests over the interests of workers (75% of stories cited a business source, only 32% cited a labour source; 53% described the struggles of businesses, only 14% described the struggles of low-wage workers).
3) As a union member, what would you say about the power of union representation and collective bargaining?
Study after study shows unionized workers earn higher wages, receive better benefits and enjoy a better quality of life, but another thing that's just as important: unionizing puts in place democratic structures backed by the weight of law that protect workers and help create the conditions for happier, healthier workplaces.
Make sure to check out this exciting news resource at Pressprogress.ca
