PrintThe sweet life of Bakery Union officials
Soon to be or newly jobless Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Union members who work(ed) at Twinkie and Ding Dong maker Hostess Baking are contemplating a bleak Christmas that not even a trip to low cost, non union WalMart can alleviate.
However the Bakery Workers' union's officials are quite comfortable thank you very much. Yes, it is true that Hostess had been in financial difficulties for a number of years as union president Frank Hurt stated.
Our members were aware that while the company was descending into bankruptcy and demanding deep concessions, the top ten executives of the company were rewarding themselves with lavish compensation increases, with the then CEO receiving a 300 percent increase.
But Hurt and other union officers had a lot in common with Hostess executives with whom they were negotiating as they too have had "lavish compensation increases"; lavish enough to propel them into the rarefied top one per cent reports Union Facts, publishing the six figure union officials' salary and benefits.
| Name | Title | Gross Salary | Benifits & Other Compensation | Total Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRANK HURT | PRESIDENT | $210,672.00 | $51,982.00 | $262,654.00 |
| DAVID DURKEE | SECRETARY-TREASURER | $196,627.00 | $47,769.00 | $244,396.00 |
| JOSEPH THIBODEAU | EXEC VICE PRESIDENT | $182,582.00 | $36,407.00 | $218,989.00 |
| STEVE BERTELLI | VICE PRESIDENT | $137,638.00 | $60,424.00 | $198,062.00 |
| MICHAEL KONESKO | VICE PRESIDENT | $137,638.00 | $46,659.00 | $184,297.00 |
| ARTHUR MONTMINY | VICE PRESIDENT | $137,638.00 | $37,867.00 | $175,505.00 |
| ANTHONY JOHNSON | VICE PRESIDENT | $137,638.00 | $29,795.00 | $167,433.00 |
| ROBERT OAKLEY | VICE PRESIDENT | $142,638.00 | $24,627.00 | $167,265.00 |
| RANDY ROARK | VICE PRESIDENT | $137,638.00 | $29,211.00 | $166,849.00 |
| SEAN KELLY | VICE PRESIDENT | $136,124.00 | $25,665.00 | $161,789.00 |
| JOHN PRICE | REPRESENTATIVE | $109,645.00 | $49,379.00 | $159,024.00 |
| JAMES RIVERS | REPRESENTATIVE | $99,645.00 | $51,922.00 | $151,567.00 |
| HARRY KAISER | ASSISTANT TO PRESIDENT | $137,637.00 | $12,127.00 | $149,764.00 |
| CESAR CALDERON | ORGANIZER | $99,645.00 | $49,206.00 | $148,851.00 |
| BARBARA FIELDS | REPRESENTATIVE | $99,645.00 | $47,239.00 | $146,884.00 |
| RAYMOND SCANNELL | RESEARCH DIRECTOR | $137,637.00 | $8,292.00 | $145,929.00 |
| RICHARD YEAGER | FINANCE DIRECTOR | $137,637.00 | $8,207.00 | $145,844.00 |
| ANTHONY SHELTON | REPRESENTATIVE | $99,645.00 | $44,729.00 | $144,374.00 |
| JOHN PURVIS | REPRESENTATIVE | $99,645.00 | $40,860.00 | $140,505.00 |
| MARCO MENDOZA | REPRESENTATIVE | $99,645.00 | $38,107.00 | $137,752.00 |
| BLAINE WILLIAMS | REPRESENTATIVE | $99,645.00 | $36,331.00 | $135,976.00 |
| JETHRO HEAD | REPRESENTATIVE | $95,430.00 | $39,381.00 | $134,811.00 |
| KARL WALKER | ORGANIZER | $98,549.00 | $32,484.00 | $131,033.00 |
| JAMES CONDRAN | REPRESENTATIVE | $99,645.00 | $29,049.00 | $128,694.00 |
| ERIC ANDERSON | REPRESENTATIVE | $99,645.00 | $28,135.00 | $127,780.00 |
| SYLVAIN GAGNE | ORGANIZER | $98,549.00 | $27,810.00 | $126,359.00 |
| DANIEL RONDOU | REPRESENTATIVE | $98,549.00 | $27,329.00 | $125,878.00 |
| RANDY FULK | REPRESENTATIVE | $88,479.00 | $35,342.00 | $123,821.00 |
| CORRINA CHRISTENSEN | PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR | $100,905.00 | $6,674.00 | $107,579.00 |
But wait, their compensation is even more lavish. In addition to their sweet compensation package these highly paid, mainly male union officials have a fully funded pension plan unlike the workers, many female, whose interests they supposedly represent.
According to Labor Union Report
Meanwhile, as his union members' industry pension fund is in critical status, less than half funded (over$10 billion in liabilities as of 2011), bakery union bosses are sitting pretty. They have their own union pension fund (paid for by union members) that is 100% funded.
And more--the union officials' family members are doing quite well too.
All in the family (a nepotist in every union).
As is the case in other unions, nepotism is something that bakers' union bosses apparently embrace. In addition to the six-figure salaries paid to the union's executive staff, both Hurt and the union's secretary-treasurer have their kids working inside the union's headquarters, pulling down over $71,000 and nearly $49,000, respectively.
Meanwhile, while union officials sweetened their salaries, their families' salaries and their pensions the "union lost roughly 30% of its membership over the last decade."
Although they may not have money for Christmas presents, and not much to be thankful for tomorrow (or the day after, as they head to the unemployment lines), at least Hostess employees have, as Frank Hurt put it, their "dignity" and "respect."
Maybe they can take that with them while they apply for a job at non-union WalMart.
