November 07, 2008
Getting paid while doing union work
Taxpayers in Monroe County spent $1.6 million last year to pay municipal employees for work they performed on behalf of their labor unions, according to the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.
As well as their government paychecks, the union officials received $430,000 in salaries and other compensation from their unions. The D&C reports:
For instance, a city of Rochester sanitation worker who has not collected trash in 37 years collected more than $58,300 in city pay last year on top of almost $192,000 he received as head of two unions. The head of the Rochester teachers union was paid $101,200 by the Rochester School District last year although he has not taught in a city classroom since 1981. He also received more than $40,000 in compensation from his union.
Nothing suggests that double-dipping union officers are breaking any laws. Nor are release-time provisions uncommon in labor pacts within the public and private sectors, according to labor historians, who trace release-time's roots to the middle of the last century.
Nonetheless, such arrangements have rankled budget watchdogs mindful of the souring economy and are now on the bargaining table as cash-strapped Monroe County and Rochester governments negotiate pacts with several unions representing large portions of their work forces.
In contrast, a 1972 law requires unions representing state employees to reimburse the state for "release time" of union officials.
As reported here, Danny Donohue of Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), Kenneth Brynien of Public Employees Federation (PEF) and presidents of other state employee unions all are listed on the state payroll in their former job titles.
Their unions reimburse state government for their salaries and benefits. This allows them to accrue pension credits--and it holds a job for them if they lose a future union election. They also receive salaries from their unions.
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