Newspapers have an almost sacred responsibility to get to the facts as far as they can be ascertained, same as academic writing. The only difference is the audience. Are you under the impression that newspapers should be allowed to "get by" with superficial or inaccurate reporting? 

And no, I'm not exaggerating: nearly 50% of American households live below or within 150% of the poverty threshold. Of course, the R-G has not seen fit to do its homework on this aspect of the local context either.  

Unions have always been the best way for people in those circumstances to improve their lot. That's the real American dream: close-knit, reasonably affluent communities of workers, united to counter the clout of our robber baron class.