Kentucky Governor Matt Bevins has not been shy about his conservative agenda and his desire to pass a “Right to Work” law. Here’s a brief explainer on the law from Indy Star:

What is right-to-work (“RTW”)? It’s a change in Kentucky labor law that would eliminate an employee’s obligation to pay the costs of union representation if he goes to work for a unionized firm but chooses not to join the union (no employee is ever required to join any union). A non-union employee at a union shop pays what are called “fair share fees” toward the union’s representation of all employees covered under a collective bargaining agreement, whether those employees are union members or not. A right-to-work law lets that non-union employee get the benefit of union representation and all that entails without sharing in the costs. Supporters of RTW call that “freedom” for the employee; where I come from, we call that “free-loading.” How long would the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce foot the bill for a company that wasn’t paying its dues?

It’s a union-busting technique designed to weaken labor organizations and business owners love the effect it having on wages in states where the law has passed:

According to the most recently available statistics, workers make $5,791 less annually in RTW states than in free-bargaining states and median household income is $6,568 lower. RTW states also have a higher concentration of jobs in low-wage occupations than do states that allow free-bargaining. There are lower rates of health insurance coverage in RTW states, and fewer employees get their health insurance coverage from their employer in RTW states. The rate of workplace deaths is 54% higher in RTW states, and poverty and infant mortality rates are higher in those states. RTW states also invest significantly less money in education per pupil (31.3% less) than do free-bargaining states. Lower wages also result in reduced tax bases for local and state governments.

So, Governor Matt Bevins is holding a hearing today on fair wages and a proposed “Right to Work” law in Kentucky. As you might imagine, union members (also known as Kentucky voters), showed up to attend the meeting. To their surprise, they were denied entry into the hearing room. Why? Because the Americans for Prosperity, a conservative advocacy group founded by conservative billionaire political activist David Koch, booked the room for a breakfast preceding the hearing and never left. The workers whose wages are on the line have been frozen out.

x Gov Matt Bevin booed leaving right l-to-work hearing goes back to debate protestor @WHAS11 #KYga17 pic.twitter.com/WFQW4eLtRP Ã¢ÂÂ Chris Williams (@chriswnews) January 4, 2017

x Huge crowd in the Ky Capitol Annex to oppose right-to-work bill #kyga17 pic.twitter.com/0esozmFrCt Ã¢ÂÂ Ryland Barton (@RylandKY) January 4, 2017

The gathered workers boo’d Governor Bevins as he made his way into the hearing room where he was warmly greeted with a standing ovation by the greedy soon-to-be even wealthier Americans for Prosperity crowd.

x Unions boo Gov Bevin as he enters right-to-work cmte. Americans For Prosperity, chamber give him a standing ovation inside pic.twitter.com/jjlm6FZYHn Ã¢ÂÂ Ryland Barton (@RylandKY) January 4, 2017

And the rich just keep on getting richer.