Koch Brothers Spread Negative Influence

Time Magazine made a splash recently with the release of its 100 most influential people in the world - a list that also includes the billionaire Koch Brothers. 

The brothers, David and Charles, who are enemies to workers everywhere, are featured as titans of business.

In the the write-up, Time portrays the brothers as caring deeply about the values that make success in America possible – free markets, freedom, limited government and competition.

But fire fighters and public workers everywhere know the truth – that the Koch Brothers are all about destroying public sector unions.

The brothers want public employees to lose their voice in the work place. Most of the funding behind Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s political campaign came from none other than the Koch Brothers.

The Koch Brothers helped to coordinate a well-funded attack funneling money through think tanks and foundations – such as Americans for Prosperity – to push their anti-union policies. Workers should never forget the “infamous call” that Walker took from a journalist impersonating David Koch about busting unions.

The Koch Brothers are no friends to workers. They want influence and take away the pensions that workers have earned and deserve.

As state courts across the nation handle numerous public pension reform disputes, the Koch Brothers are sponsoring a conference in Charleston, SC for judges who specialize in pension issues and who may decide the outcome of cases.

Florida public workers suspect the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC is financially supported by the brothers) was behind last year’s pension reform debate to close the Florida Retirement System (FRS) to new employees and move them into 401(K)-type plans.

For the Koch Brothers, having money means wielding their power around like kings and leaving workers in the poor house and voiceless. It is an influence that no worker needs.