维基媒体基金会于7月27日拒绝了Wiki Workers United美国分部提出的自愿工会承认请求[1]。该工会分部在7月20日向基金会提出要求，希望在7月24日前获得答复[1]。基金会主张通过美国国家劳资关系委员会进行秘密投票选举来决定工会承认问题[1]。
Wiki Workers United于7月28日宣布将向劳资委员会申请工会选举[1]。与此同时，基金会聘请了律师事务所Littler Mendelson提供法律协助，该事务所以反工会活动著称[1]。社区成员指责基金会违反了其公开宣称的中立立场，并利用投票前的时间差推行反工会活动[1]。
社区对此表示支持工会的呼声持续增长。Meta-Wiki上的请愿已获超过150个签名，另有两份早期请愿各获超1,200个签名[1]。基金会联合创始人Jimmy Wales表示支持秘密投票以保护员工隐私，并预计员工将投票支持工会化[1]。
The Wikimedia Foundation declined a request for voluntary union recognition from Wiki Workers United's United States chapter, which submitted its petition on July 20th with a deadline for response by July 24th [1]. Instead of accepting voluntary recognition, the Foundation issued a statement on July 27th advocating for a secret ballot election conducted through the U.S. National Labor Relations Board [1]. In response, Wiki Workers United announced on July 28th that it would file for a union election with the labor board [1].
The Foundation's handling of the dispute has drawn criticism from community members and union supporters. The organization retained the law firm Littler Mendelson, which is known for anti-union activities [1]. Community members expressed disappointment, arguing that the Foundation was using the time before a potential election to conduct anti-union activities, despite its stated commitment to neutrality [1]. Support for unionization was evident in community petitions: a petition on Meta-Wiki garnered over 150 signatures, while two earlier petitions each received over 1,200 signatures [1].
Jimmy Wales expressed support for the secret ballot process, stating that it would protect employee privacy, while predicting that employees would vote in favor of unionization [1].