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In 2010, the union membership rate--the percent of wage and salary workers who were
members of a union--was 11.9 percent, down from 12.3 percent a year earlier, the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The number of wage and salary workers be-
longing to unions declined by 612,000 to 14.7 million. In 1983, the first year for
which comparable union data are available, the union membership rate was 20.1 per-
cent, and there were 17.7 million union workers.
...
Highlights from the 2010 data:
--The union membership rate for public sector workers (36.2 percent) was
substantially higher than the rate for private sector workers (6.9 percent).
(See table 3.)
--Workers in education, training, and library occupations had the highest
unionization rate at 37.1 percent. (See table 3.)
The Center for Public Integrity found compensation for leaders of the 10 largest unions ranged from $173,000 at the United Auto Workers to $618,000 at the Laborers' International Union of North America, and almost $480,000 for the president of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees. The latter is the target of GOP governors in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee and Kansas.
The union reports, filed with the Department of Labor, list compensation for all union employees and officers. Salaries make up the biggest portion, but other benefits can include tens of thousands of dollars for meal allowances, mileage allowances and entertainment. Health care and pension contributions are not specifically addressed.
The reports show that assets of the various labor unions run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, and payrolls rival midsize companies. Among the Top 10 unions, dozens of top officials have salary-and-benefit packages that rank them among the top percentage of income-earners in the country.
In the 2010 elections in Wisconsin, AFSCME gave almost $83,888 to Democratic candidates. Half that amount went to the campaign of Tom Barrett, whose top 10 donors were unions. Barrett lost to Walker, who promised during the campaign to take on organized labor if elected.
"This is political payback, which does nothing to promote job growth or help the middle class," McEntee said on The Huffington Post. "This is nothing less than union busting at its most transparent, designed to deny workers a voice in the workplace."
The membership of AFSCME, which evolved from a state employees union organized in Wisconsin in 1932, has grown by 25% over the last decade. McEntee, who has been president since 1981, says more than 145,000 government employees have joined AFSCME since 2006.
• National Education Association. Membership: 3.2 million; assets: $216 million. The NEA, representing most of the nation's teachers, has 31 headquarters officers and employees who earn more than $200,000 in pay and benefits. The president, Dennis Van Roekel, received $397,721 in salary and benefits. Of the $3.7 million NEA spent on political activities in the last election cycle, 98% went to Democratic candidates. The NEA has 98,000 members in Wisconsin.
• Service Employees International Union. Membership: 1.8 million; assets: $187 million. .....
Originally posted by beezzer
reply to post by thehoneycomb
Excellent thread!
There appears to be a selective focus with OWS.
Since SEIU leaders were in on the inception of the OWS movement, I'm sure they'd be accomidating.
Originally posted by OLD HIPPY DUDE
What a pile of sheet.
Do some real research instead of posting some neocon right wing propaganda .
In the 50's and 60's represented 35 - 37 % of the american population now it's around 11%.
You neocons take every opprtunity to beat a dead horse.
Unions are as good as dead but you need a scape goat to keep the people divided.
You think you are a good worker, your loyal to your company and it's gonna pay off with no guarantee's ?
You are in for a rude awakening . Anyone can be replaced, at a cheaper price.
Big Labor has the power to force workers to pay union dues and fees as a condition of employment. Without the power to compel the unwilling, Big Labor and the Democrat party would be forced to fight on the battlefield of ideas rather than choking the airwaves with its propaganda.
Originally posted by TheWalkingFox
reply to post by neo96
You're aware that police unions are police unions, SEIU is SEIU, teamsters are...
You know what, # it. I really don't have time to explain basic reality to people who are gleefully ignorant.