Law gives huge pension perks to union leaders
In all, 23 expected to collect combined $56 million in their lifetimes
Jason Grotto | Chicago Tribune
Sept. 21, 2011
All it took to give nearly two dozen labor leaders from Chicago a windfall worth millions was a few tweaks to a handful of sentences in the state’s lengthy pension code.
The changes became law with no public debate among state legislators and, more importantly, no cost analysis.
Twenty years later, 23 retired union officials from Chicago stand to collect about $56 million from two ailing city pension funds thanks to the changes, a Tribune/WGN-TV investigation found.
Because the law bases the city pensions on the labor leaders’ union salaries, they are reaping retirement benefits that far outstrip the modest salaries they made as city employees. On average, their pensions are nearly three times higher than what the typical retired city worker receives.
Read more @ chicagotribune.com.
They say corporate bosses are bilking share holders and workers. In this case, it’s union bosses bilking the taxpayers (again).
No surprise here. Did you hear about the guy making 5 times more than his city job salary because of his Chicago pension. It just so happens he’s a Union leader and that’s the only reason his pension is nearly $200k/yr for a $42k/yr job. That he supposedly retired from in ’88.
Yes. Unions do much for us.
It is disgusting. They should pay that money back.