Ohio AFSCME – Solidarity for Suckers

I thought it might be interesting to make a chart depicting pay to American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) employees, as I did last week for the Ohio Education Association (OEA). Forgive me for noticing something of a trend in these union payroll… trends.

AFSCME members report to elected officials, are paid with tax dollars, and pay union dues for protection from the taxpayer (view Excel source). Most of the questions I asked about OEA compensation apply here as well: If Ohio’s public union members hang by a thread, why do union bosses take so much for themselves? If overpaid private industry entrepreneurs and investors are the root of Ohio’s fiscal troubles, why shouldn’t Ohio taxpayers be concerned about six-figure union salaries?

Ohio Average Pay, 2009

  • Private industry worker: $40,128
  • Government worker: $45,246 ($5,000 more than private industry)
  • AFSCME Council 8 employee: $57, 269 ($17,000 more than private industry)
  • AFSCME Local 11 employee: $67,625 ($27,000 more than private industry)
  • AFSCME Local 4 employee: $83,485 ($43,000 more than private industry)

Keep in mind, these characters pay themselves with money taken from the government workers they represent… and they don’t produce anything but tired class warfare propaganda.

2010 AFSCME Local 4 (Ohio Association of Public School Employees) Top 10

  • Joseph Rugola, Executive Director: $243,712.00
  • Gary Martin, Associate Director: $202,712.00
  • Charles Roginski, Regional Director: $161,885.00
  • Tom Drabick, Director of Legal Dept: $154,584.00
  • Randy Weston, Dir of Pol Action: $142,261.00
  • Lloyd Rains, Regional Director: $137,328.00
  • Steve Myers, Regional Director: $132,742.00
  • Anthony Vernell, Regional Director: $128,239.00
  • Harold Palmer, Regional Director: $127,831.00
  • Clyde Mauk, Regional Director: $125,855.00

2010 AFSCME Council 8 Top 10

  • R. SEAN GRAYSON, GENERAL COUNSEL: $130,315.00
  • TERRY M REED, ORGANIZING DIRECTOR: $128,975.00
  • THOMAS J RITCHIE, FIELD SERVICES DIRECTOR: $127,293.00
  • SALLY A POWLESS, REGIONAL DIRECTOR: $111,654.00
  • MARIANNE STEGER, HEALTH CARE/PUBLIC POLICY: $110,751.00
  • MARCIA R KNOX, REGIONAL DIRECTOR: $108,748.00
  • MICHAEL D BAUER, REGIONAL DIRECTOR: $108,637.00
  • ROBERT A DAVIS, LEGISLATION/POLITICAL DIR: $108,418.00
  • JOHN J FILAK JR., STAFF REPRESENTATIVE: $107,785.00
  • ROBERT L THOMPSON, REGIONAL DIRECTOR: $107,475.00

As of publication the Department of Labor doesn’t list the 2010 report for AFSCME Local 11, which is why that trend line ends at 2009 on the chart.

For organizations solely dedicated to their members’ well-being, Ohio’s AFSCME affiliates throw money at most every leftist cause in the state. Council 8, Local 11, and Local 4 have given more than $4.5 million to Ohio Democrats since 2001. Progressive think-tanks are frequent recipients of member dues, too – in the past five years, $124,000 went to Policy Matters Ohio and $10,000 to Progress Ohio.

No one should be convinced by AFSCME’s claim to the moral high ground; least of all the public employees who keep their racket in the black.

Cross-posted at Third Base Politics.

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