(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, February 5, 2016)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The following is the official statement of Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer and Local 175 President Ken Hall on the passage of right to work in both chambers of the West Virginia Legislature.
“West Virginians know better than to support the ruse of so-called right to work. They know it doesn’t create jobs or bring in business. It lowers our standard of living and hurts working families.
“The anti-worker legislative agenda being pushed in the Capitol is clearly being promoted by out-of-state interests like billionaire industrialists the Koch brothers, who have aggressively pushed their agenda in West Virginia ever since they saw an opportunity to wield their influence following the 2014 election.
“Americans for Prosperity, a Koch-related organization, has spent millions of dollars on TV ads and direct mail pushing a propaganda campaign for their anti-worker agenda in West Virginia.
“Just last weekend, Senate President Bill Cole spoke at an exclusive Palm Springs, Calif., event held by the Kochs.
“The Koch Foundation has given millions to the College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University (WVU). A professor at WVU authored the report that Republican leadership in the Legislature not only commissioned, but relied on almost entirely in pushing the right-to-work agenda through the Legislature.
“It’s not hard to follow the money.
“Our fight is not over. We fully expect Gov. Tomblin to veto this disastrous piece of legislation, and the people are on our side.
“The working people of West Virginia deserve better from our politicians, and we won’t sit back as outside interests try to strip us of our bargaining rights, drive down our wages and weaken job protections. Come November, we will not forget who turned their backs on working families by supporting the anti-worker agenda pushed by big business. Every working man and woman and every union member in West Virginia will stand together to stop the continued erosion of our rights and our way of life.”
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.