The Well-Funded Anti-Labor Arsenal

Public attention has been galvanized by the attack on working people in Wisconsin
by an ultraconservative governor. Appropriate attention has been paid to funders such as the Koch brothers
and right-wing institutions such as the American Legislative Exchange Council.
But there is a far larger process at work.

Over the past 20 years, right-wing corporate conservatives and economic libertarians have spent more that $170 million trying to convince us that labor unions are bad for America, and that government laws and regulations should not protect a worker's right to organize a union without harassment and termination.

And this is just part of the $1 Billion spent by right-wing funders to shift wealth upwards and stomp on the basic human rights of most of us.
($1 Billion for Ideas: Conservative Think Tanks in the 1990s)

The coalition of foundations that fund conservative and right-wing think tanks and other institutions that attack organized labor give money to an array of allied and interconnected think tanks that numerous reports and issue an endless stream of press releases. This creates the impression that there is a groundswell of support for reigning in labor unions and government "interference" in corporate affairs.

These foundations often give long-term grants that provide stability and ensure the survival of conservative and right-wing think tanks.

  

History of Attacks on Organized Labor & Working People

Free Market Mythology (Collectivism Phobia)

Ground Rules & Tips for Challenging the Right

Introductory Slideshow: Right-Wing 101

Studying the U.S. Political Right: A Resource Guide

Conceptualizing & Mapping the US Political Right

Until a similar progressive movement infrastructure is created and sustained, the
Democratic Party will continue to move to the right and the right-wing attacks on working people
and a living wage will increase.

The chart below illustrates the strategic way in which the Anti-Labor Arsenal is funded.

Follow the Right-Wing Money Funding the Attacks on Working People and a Living Wage

 To the right is a list of foundations that
fund conservative and right-wing think tanks and other institutions
that undermine the ability of labor unions to freely organize workers
without corporate interference, state repression, and propaganda campaigns.

The list below is a selection of those anti-labor and anti-union
conservative and right-wing think tanks and other institutions

Total Grants  Allegheny Foundation Carthage Foundation Castle Rock Foundation Charlotte and Walter Kohler Charitable Trust Earhart Foundation F.M. Kirby Foundation Jaquelin Hume Foundation JM Foundation John M. Olin Foundation Lynde and
Harry Bradley Foundation		 Orville D. and Ruth A. Merillat Foundation Randolph Foundation Rodney Foundation Roe Foundation Ruth and Lovett
Peters Foundation		 Sarah
Scaife Foundation		 Scaife
Family Foundation		 Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation Smith Richardson Foundation Walton Family Foundation William H. Donner Foundation
National Right to Work Foundation 3,319,500     35,000     430,000 110,000   1,985,000   190,000   9,000 10,500 350,000     155,000   45,000  
                                             
Alexis de Tocqueville Institution 3,053,700   15,000   746,000   35,000 110,000   362,500 1,293,900       3,000             488,300
American Enterprise Institute 32,964,767   300,000 295,000   448,800 75,000 150,000 60,000 7,022,124 15,237,797   65,000       4,436,000 590,000   3,930,046   355,000
Americans For Tax Reform  1,990,500   325,000           25,000 525,000 50,000   302,500   15,000 20,000 375,000   3,000   325,000 25,000
Atlas Economic Research Foundation 3,748,632   905,000     1,524,742     30,000 5,000 148,890       120,000 30,000 920,000         65,000
Cato Institute  4,065,100   115,000 100,000   217,600 107,500 150,000 75,000 832,500 562,500       22,500 13,000 1,757,500   5,000   12,000 95,000
Center for Social Thought Corporation 241,500                   241,500                      
Center for the Study of Popular Culture 13,118,000 125,000 625,000 250,000       150,000   2,085,000 4,933,000   245,000       3,450,000 1,225,000 10,000     20,000
Education Policy Institute 770,000                 127,500 75,000         45,000 100,000 272,500       150,000
Evergreen Freedom Foundation 1,638,963   50,000 50,000     80,000 73,795 45,000   208,000   80,000   160,000 231,668 210,000   500   350,000 100,000
Free Congress Foundation 24,631,960 144,000 10,560,000 1,050,000 220,000   80,000   30,000 710,000 6,489,960   125,000   105,000   4,558,000 400,000 160,000      
Goldwater Institute 776,000     25,000   20,000   95,000 60,000 75,000       8,000 67,500 157,500     13,000   155,000 100,000
Heartland Institute 1,112,000   10,000 30,000 175,000     91,000 82,000 40,000 213,000     12,000 24,000   325,000       110,000  
Heritage Foundation 45,911,437   2,759,000 2,148,760     535,000 50,000 60,000 8,320,835 12,961,202 150,000   8,000 596,000 95,000 17,235,000 702,640 45,000   20,000 225,000
Hillsdale College: Center for Constructive Alternatives & Imprimis 1,865,750     1,525,750     15,000     325,000                        
Hudson Institute, Inc.  14,076,203   775,000 85,000 70,000 71,783 102,500 5,000 50,000 3,034,840 5,090,070           2,008,000 221,000 75,000 1,595,510 100,000 792,500
James Madison Institute 429,630             100,000 30,000             91,130           208,500
Mackinac Center 2,163,200     25,000   113,300   225,000 70,000   295,000 215,000   189,900 150,000 305,000 100,000       300,000 175,000
Pacific Research Inst. for Public Policy 4,988,750     125,000   134,000   438,750 30,000 735,000 675,000       46,000 155,000 2,072,000       150,000 428,000
Rockford Institute (includes Chronicles) 2,294,370       485,420 12,000     15,000 300,000 690,950       1,000   675,000 100,000       15,000
Social Philosophy and Policy Foundation 7,041,005   550,000     385,000     15,000 1,125,000 905,380         20,000 3,475,000 550,000       15,625
Western Journalism Center 251,500     98,500                     3,000             150,000
                                             
TOTAL 170,452,467 269,000 16,989,000 5,843,010 1,696,420 2,927,225 1,460,000 1,748,545 677,000 27,610,299 50,071,149 555,000 817,500 226,900 1,323,500 1,513,298 41,696,500 4,061,140 466,500 5,525,556 1,567,000 3,407,925