Teamsters President James P. Hoffa makes a lot more than the average trucker, but union officials say it’s peanuts compared to the bloated salaries of corporate executives.

The Associated Press this week reported that several union leaders reported six-figure incomes in 2000. Hoffa, for instance, was paid $228,713; allowances and disbursements increased the figure to $262,200.
Teamsters spokesman Bret Caldwell told the AP that while that may seem high compared with what rank-and-file members make, a better barometer is the pay of corporate executives. “There’s just no comparison,” he said. “Corporate salaries are so bloated that they’re beyond reason.”
For instance, the AP reports that the former chairman and chief executive of United Parcel Service, James P. Kelly, had a $1.1 million base salary before he retired – plus $462,000 in bonuses and $53,967 in other compensation. The Teamsters are in the midst of contract negotiations with UPS.
Other union presidents mentioned by the AP as having six-figure salaries include the president of the American Federation of Teachers, the International Assn. of Fire Fighters, the Air Line Pilots Assn., the United Steelworkers of America and the AFL-CIO.