Union officials do no public work, costing millions, report says
A report released this morning shows that New Jersey taxpayers spend millions each year so public employees -- cops, firefighters, teachers -- can take leave from their public jobs and do union business. Once Gov. Christie reads the report, if he hasn't already, he is likely to add these tidbits into the rhetorical arsenal he aims at public employee unions.
Union officials do no public work, costing millions, report says
Matt Katz, Inquirer Staff Writer
Full story in Thursday's paper, here.
A report released this morning shows that New Jersey taxpayers spend millions each year so public employees -- cops, firefighters, teachers -- can take leave from their public jobs and do union business.
Once Gov. Christie reads the report, if he hasn't already, he is likely to add these tidbits into the rhetorical arsenal he aims at public employee unions.
In Camden, $2.3 million has been spent over the past five years to pay the salaries and benefits for three cops and three firefighters who do full-time union business (not policing or firefighting), according to the report from the independent State Commission of Investigation. In the Camden schools, the report found that the district is reimbursed by the teachers' union for a union official's salary -- but such reimbursement payments have not always been made.
We're working on getting responses from all of the Camden unions, but in an initial interview the Camden police union president says there are only two, not three, government-paid union officials in the city.
Statewide some union officials have been on paid leave for decades while "occupying government job titles but doing no government work," according to the SCI. Contracts -- and in some cases, unofficial agreements -- allow some union officials to get a salary, health coverage and additional benefits like perfect-attendance stipends, overtime, cars, office space and computers.
The report said: "Although it is not uncommon, nor it is necessarily improper, for government employers to grant some form of time-off for union work, the Commission found significant and questionable variations in how such leave is authorized, who qualifies for it, who keeps track of it, how it is constituted and who ultimately pays the bill."
The state's largest teachers' union, the New Jersey Education Association, released a statement in response saying that the report indicates that these “work release arrangements” are “legal and commonplace,” and had been negotiated by school employees before being ratified by school boards.
NJEA President Barbara Keshishian said: “Providing negotiated release time for the purpose of conducting union business saves both time and money in districts and provides for a better school environment for all concerned…. The fact that the release of this report comes in the midst of a sustained attack on public education and public sector unions in New Jersey is a remarkable coincidence.”
The investigation looked at more than 120 school districts, 17 municipalities, all 21 counties and 12 departments of state government. In that slice of public sector, between 2006 and 2011, government-paid leave for public employees cost taxpayers more than $30 million.
The commission recommended that taxpayer-funded union leave be eliminated or at least "substantially curtailed."
All unions have gotten out of hand. They have come to be run by politcally power-hungry people who care little about the employees as long as the dues are paid. @richie allen: you are so mis-informed it is sad that you have bought into whatever BS you have been hearing. #1: unions did not create the middle-class but they were formed to protect them (that no longer happens) #2: Anywhere there is a union, especially a public sector union, there is corruption and serious vote buying. Unions are taking our country down.— keapitreal- so ...2.3 million for what a total of 6 people...wow...— DontTreadonme
- Matt-watch out. If you release another common sense story like this, Yant-Kinney, Baer, Riordan and Polman are going after you. Thank you for reporting this. Of course, Chicago is even worse but let's not get in competition with the City that produced Obama, Rahm and the Daley's— Tired of Journos
- Citizenc92, do you really think people on here can't read? Unions are destroying Europe? And are in league with central bankers? German austerity is why Germany is doing well? Pretty bizarre statements. Completely inaccurate. Unions have become too powerful, huh? Not corporation and the wealthy? Have you been paying attention? It's you who are clueless. Nobody believes the garbage you write. Save yourself the time. It isn't working.— MikeP
- Mike, some day when your educated enough to know how Keynesian Economics works you'll understand the causalities of macroeconomics in the international arena. Until then, I suggest you do some research on the Rothschilds Banking Family, The Council of Foreign Relations, IMF, World Bank, EU and the exploitation of unions in sovereign states.
- And how much do we taxpayers pay for Christie to further his political ambitions by his endless trips to Israel, Wisconsin, etc.? Are we paying his salary and benefits when he goes on those roadshows? Yes, we are. I agree with the poster above who says these union positions, no matter how Huh? they may seem, were negotiated. It's not as if the unions just set people up in government jobs and then had them do union work all day. Since these positions were negotiated, they can be reversed by negotiation. But don't act all surprised and shocked that they exist. I'm sure Christie will take the calm, reasonable approach to this matter. NOT.— Jen D
Comment removed.- The same EXACT thing is going on in Philly. All that you need to do is check into what the "working" union officials are doing. Most never bother to even show up to their jobs.— psyrus
- This is what collective (forced) bargaining allows to happen. Unions make demands, and the school district or municipality has to work with them or be found in contempt for failing to bargain in "good faith". Worse yet, the people sitting at the table are union sympathizers who covet the union votes and campaign money. End collective bargaining!
Many districts "allow" the union rep or union head to work a half day and do union business a half day. Some are paid half by the school half by the union. Others apparently get fully paid by the union.— MattPSU - The neo-cons are out today. This arrogant Governor has been using NJ taxpayer money, and time he is supposed to be working, to go hither and yon seeking to advance his personal and political agendas. He has become an expert in spending tax payer money in non job related pursuits.— richw38
- Rich, your just jealous because Christie is the best thing to happen to NJ in a long LOOOOONNNNNNNGGGG time. BTW, Christie has saved NJ taxpayers HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS so not too sure where your coming off saying he's "spending tax payer money".
- "I dealt with forty-seven different kinds of union men and with one hundred different firms. And not one union man and not one firm of all the union men or firms ever delivered anything at the time agreed upon, nor was ever on time for anything except payday and bill collection"!....Jack London, 1906, reflecting on his experience with the building his yacht in The Great Faithless Sea. Appears things haven't changed much in over 100 years!— dogman5
- My dad worked for over thirty years, never missed a day and always paid his dues as a teamster. When he retired he got about 600 bucks a month while the corrupt bosses lived like kings.— Phillip Phan
- So when is the governor going to pay the unions all the back money that the state owes them for pensions. The state keeps putting it off come on Gov. pay up.— RichH
Reach him at mkatz@phillynews.com or 609-217-8355.
Follow Matt on Twitter: @mattkatz00. Reach Matt at mkatz@phillynews.com or 609-217-8355.
