How Much Do Union Bosses Make?

Unions are a business. In almost every union throughout the United States, union bosses and their staffs–who are paid through the union dues paid by members–make more (in some cases, significantly more) than the actual union members they represent. Here are some examples.

NOTE: In all cases below (with the exception of the Teamsters union), the compensation data below only includes data from the international unions’ headquarters The data does NOT include compensation data from union locals or affiliates.

Related: Union Leaders Earn More than Most CEOs

American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

AFSCME is primarily a government-workers’ union. Its members are largely paid through the taxes paid by taxpayers. Those members, in turn, pay a portion of their paychecks to AFSCME in the form of union dues which, in turn, is used to pay the salaries and expenses of AFSCME officers and the union’s staff.

International Association of Machinists

Service Employees International Union

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is one of the most politically-active unions in the U.S. The SEIU has spent nearly $100 million in a multi-year effort to unionize fast-food workers.

The Teamsters

Perhaps the most notorious union in the United States, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has a history of allowing its officers to collect multiple salaries. This list is prepared by the Teamsters for a Democratic Union.

United Auto Workers

The financial report to the Department of Labor containing the United Auto Workers’ executive and staff salaries was submitted before UAW leaders gave UAW executives 31% pay increases. The new salaries will be reflected in the 2019 reports.

United Food & Commercial Workers

The following data for the United Food & Commercial Workers does NOT include data from UFCW local unions or affiliates.

UNITE-HERE

Formed as merger between the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE) and the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union (HERE), as a result of downsizings and mergers, UNITE-HERE is a union that had its share of internal conflict over the last 25 years.