The Koch brothers’ LIBRE Initiative‘s stated goal is, “to equip the Hispanic community with the tools it needs to be prosperous.” In a shockingly hypocritical and ironic move, LIBRE is opposing new overtime rules that would disproportionately benefit Latino workers.
The newly introduced protections would affect 2.1 million Latinos currently exempted form overtime protections. Latinos only compose 11.6% of salaried workers, but would represent 15.5% of newly protected workers. Furthermore, a staggering 48% of Latino women currently lacking overtime protections would now be included.
In condemning the new rule, LIBRE Initiative President Daniel Garza trotted out the tired cliche about Washington, “arbitrarily choosing winners and losers in the economy.” The true motivation for LIBRE’s opposition is overtly transparent: Being required to pay salaried earners a fair amount for overtime work would damage the Kochs’ bottom line. What’s good for the Kochs’ is good for LIBRE. What’s good for Latinos is irrelevant.