More Perfect Union (media organization)

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More Perfect Union
FormationFebruary 2021; 4 years ago (2021-02)[1]
FounderFaiz Shakir
Type501(c)(3) Nonprofit organization[2]
EIN: 85-3189807[2]
FocusLabor, economy, working-class issues
MethodVideo journalism, advocacy reporting
Awards
Websitehttps://perfectunion.us/
TikTok information
Page
Followers1.2 million (October 22, 2025)
YouTube information
Channel
Subscribers2.21 million (October 22, 2025)
Views353 million

More Perfect Union is a progressive non-profit news media organization founded in February 2021 by Faiz Shakir. The outlet, named after a phrase in the U.S. Constitution, specializes in video reporting and opinion coverage about the American labor movement, economic policy, and corporate accountability.[3][4][5] The aim of the news outlet is "building power for the working class."[6][7]

It received the Sidney Award in 2021 for coverage of the Frito-Lay strike, and its explainer series The Class Room won a Hillman Prize in 2023 for opinion journalism. In June 2025, More Perfect Union won an Emmy Award for Outstanding News Discussion & Analysis.

Activities

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Snack company strikes

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In August 2021, More Perfect Union won the Sidney Award for its coverage of the Frito-Lay strike. "MPU was the first national outlet to cover the strike," the Sidney Hillman Foundation wrote in awarding the prize. "They published dispatches from the ground over a three-week period which collectively generated over 4 million views and spurred follow-on coverage by outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, and NPR... After a three-week strike, Frito's Topeka plant struck an agreement to end the forced 7-day workweeks and so-called 'suicide shifts', which gave workers only 8 hours of break between shifts."[8][9]

Also in August 2021, More Perfect Union confirmed with actor Danny DeVito that he had been stripped of his verified status on Twitter after he tweeted a message of solidarity to striking Nabisco workers: "No Contracts No Snacks."[10] The news spread widely and contributed to DeVito and his rallying cry becoming popular labor memes.[11]

The Class Room

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In November 2021, More Perfect Union launched an explainer series called The Class Room. It is "aimed at providing a left-wing answer to PragerU, a YouTube titan of right-wing ideology," the New York Times reported.[3]

In 2023, The Class Room was awarded the Hillman Prize for Opinion and Analysis.[12]

Political coverage

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In 2021, More Perfect Union was the first outlet to report on a leaked draft of a controversial Ohio voting reform bill backed by Republican lawmakers, describing it as a "devastating new voter suppression bill." The group highlighted provisions such as requiring two forms of ID for mail or early voting, banning ballot drop boxes, cutting early voting, and ending state-paid ballot postage.[13] Two years later, the outlet released footage of President Joe Biden meeting union organizers and reported on his appearance at a United Auto Workers picket line, noting that the organization played a coordinating role.[1]

By the end of 2024, the organization published a video interview with President Joe Biden in which he publicly endorsed a ban on congressional stock trading. The Associated Press reviewed the interview before its release.[14] In 2025, the media platform launched a national billboard campaign to raise awareness about the effects of federal staffing cuts on public safety in national parks. Approximately 300 billboards were placed across Arizona, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida. The initiative responded to workforce reductions under the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, which had led to a significant decrease in National Park Service personnel.[15]

Organization and leadership

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More Perfect Union is led by Faiz Shakir. As of 2023, the organization had approximately 28 full-time employees.[16]

Funding

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More Perfect Union is funded by philanthropic donors and does not accept contributions from corporations or labor unions.[3][16] Reported donors include the Marguerite Casey Foundation,[17] the Open Society Foundations, the Ford Foundation, and entities linked to Pierre Omidyar.[3][16]

Reception

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More Perfect Union is recognized as part of the progressive digital media landscape.[16] As of January 2025, news outlet's YouTube channel has over 1.3 million subscribers.[6] In 2021, More Perfect Union received the Sidney Award for its coverage of the Frito-Lay strike. Its explainer series, The Class Room, won the Hillman Prize for opinion journalism in 2023.[8][12] In June 2025, the organization won a News and Documentary Emmy Award for Outstanding News Discussion & Analysis, following two nominations.[18][19] In the same year, More Perfect Union won three Webby Awards, including the News & Politics (Series & Channels) category for its YouTube channel. The other two awards were in the Public Service & Activism category and the People's Voice award for the piece Modern Day Slavery: Alabama’s Prison Labor Scheme.[20][21]

References

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  1. ^ a b Wagner, Laura (28 September 2023). "The small pro-labor news site that has the Biden White House's ear". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  2. ^ a b "More Perfect Union Foundation, Alexandria, VA, Tax-exempt since Aug. 2021, EIN: 85-3189807". ProPublica. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d Smith, Ben (7 November 2021). "Why the Media Loves Labor Now". The New York Times. ISSN 1553-8095. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  4. ^ Goldmacher, Shane; Epstein, Reid J. (15 January 2025). "Faiz Shakir, Ex-Bernie Sanders Campaign Chief, Joins Race for D.N.C. Chair". The New York Times. ISSN 1553-8095. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  5. ^ Conley, Julia (9 December 2021). ""History made!" Buffalo Starbucks workers vote to form chain's first union in U.S." Salon.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  6. ^ a b Greve, Joan E (30 January 2025). "Bernie Sanders's ex-campaign manager wants to rebuild Democratic party: 'What new ideas are we bringing?'". The Guardian. ISSN 1756-3224. Archived from the original on 20 October 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  7. ^ Legoas, Miguel (22 July 2025). "Big Tech billionaire backlash: Protest billboards call out Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg". USA Today. ISSN 0734-7456. Archived from the original on 20 October 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  8. ^ a b "More Perfect Union wins August Sidney for Agenda-Setting Coverage of Topeka Frito-Lay Strike". The Sidney Hillman Foundation. 11 August 2021. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  9. ^ Romo, Vanessa (21 July 2021). "Striking To End 'Suicide Shifts,' Frito-Lay Workers Ask People To Drop The Doritos". NPR. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  10. ^ Ricci, Kimberly (20 August 2021). "Danny DeVito's Vigorous, ALL-CAPS Support For Striking Nabisco Workers Led To Some Bizarre Twitter Fallout". Uproxx. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  11. ^ Stevens, Ashlie D. (31 August 2021). "No contracts, no snacks: Everything you need to know about the Nabisco strike". Salon.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  12. ^ a b "2023 Hillman Prize for Opinion and Analysis Journalism". The Sidney Hillman Foundation. 17 April 2023. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  13. ^ Smyth, Julie Carr (21 April 2021). "GOP-backed overhaul of Ohio voting laws nearing release". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 22 October 2025. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  14. ^ Megerian, Chris (17 December 2024). "Biden calls for ban on congressional stock trading". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 22 October 2025. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  15. ^ Chow, Denise (1 June 2025). "Targeting DOGE, labor group puts up billboards warning of heat deaths at national parks". NBC News. Archived from the original on 21 October 2025. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  16. ^ a b c d Crowell, Maddy (10 June 2024). "A Little to the Left". Columbia Journalism Review. ISSN 2691-6479. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  17. ^ Beaty, Thalia (23 April 2025). "Marguerite Casey Foundation dips into endowment to grant out $130M this year". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 22 October 2025. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  18. ^ Thomas, Carly (25 June 2025). "CBS, ABC, CNN and National Geographic Among Top Winners at 2025 News Emmys". The Hollywood Reporter. ISSN 0018-3660. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  19. ^ "CBS Tops 2025 News Emmy Wins; CNN's 'The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper' and ABC's 'World News Tonight with David Muir' Land Key Program Prizes". Variety. 25 June 2025. ISSN 0042-2738. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  20. ^ "More Perfect Union: YouTube Channel | The Webby Awards". Webby Awards. 2025. Archived from the original on 21 October 2025. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  21. ^ "Modern Day Slavery: Alabama's Prison Labor Scheme | The Webby Awards". Webby Awards. 2025. Archived from the original on 21 October 2025. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
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