Patronage or Teamster Power?

October 30, 2005: Study shows multiple salaries at heart of Hoffa patronage scheme.

Each year, the Teamster Rank & File Education and Legal Defense Foundation (TRF) conducts a comprehensive analysis of Teamster financial documents and officer compensation.

Convoy Dispatch publishes the results in our annual $100,000 Club issue.

This year, the study focuses on the record number of super-compensated Teamster officials—making $150,000, $200,000 or more—who are on the International Union payroll.

Our $100,000 Club analyzes how the Hoffa administration is using members' dues money in a political patronage scheme—by guaranteeing multiple salaries to a network of political allies.

A total of 148 officials on Hoffa's payroll get multiple salaries. This figure has skyrocketed by 722 percent since Hoffa took office.

Our study also examines the growing salary gap between these super-compensated officials and the majority of local union principal officers who make $86,000 a year or less.

Is all of our dues money being used like it should to fight corporate greed and build union power? Or is some going for patronage and pork? We provide the data and let you decide.
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