Thread by @ericuman

1/ The @nytimes just had a v. credulous story saying restaurant workers are *against* getting higher minimum wage

The workers say they’re upset that celebs like Amy Poehler are pushing for a higher min wage

I was curious: Who *are* these workers?

nytimes.com/2019/03/22/nyr…

2/ The NYT only IDs one worker speaking out: “Maggie Raczynski, a bartender at an Outback Steakhouse in upstate New York.”

A link shows Raczynski is part of the “Restaurant Workers of America”

*What* is that? I turned to an advanced tool called Google

static1.squarespace.com/static/5a3d428…

3/ The “Restaurant Workers of America” is a *dark money group* -- aka a 501(c)4--meaning it doesn’t have to disclose its funding.

Also, despite the name: It’s not just workers.

How do I know all that? It’s on their website!

restaurantworkersofamerica.org/join-rwa

4/ And turns out, the “Restaurant Workers of America” has been getting advice from a big lobbying & PR firm organizing against the minimum wage increase.

buzzfeednews.com/article/claudi…

5/ Here’s a good @cjr story digging into the “Restaurant Workers of America,” including how it “regularly appears with restaurant industry trade groups and Republican politicians.”

cjr.org/analysis/77-re…

6/ It’s too bad the @nytimes didn’t include any of that context. (And too bad they don’t have a public editor)

Meanwhile, I’ve reached out to Raczynski and the group for details about their funding.

I haven’t gotten a response. I’ll post it if I get one.

[end]

P.S. the “Restaurant Workers of America” is also misleading actual restaurant workers.

Good story by @tonymess.

stltoday.com/news/local/col…

Update: It's now been 24 hours since I contacted the "Restaurant Workers of America" and asked them for details about their funding.

I haven't heard back.