United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America - Financial Practices

Financial Practices

One feature that has distinguished UE from many other U.S. labor unions is its strong emphasis on frugality and financial responsibility.

Since UE’s founding, its constitution has limited the pay of its officers to “a salary not to exceed the highest weekly wage paid in the industry.” Linked to the pay rates of production workers at GE, the annual salaries of UE’s three national officers are currently $62,072 – a fraction of what other unions pay their officers. The salaries of UE regional officers, staff, and those local officers who work for the union full-time, follow the same principle and are somewhat lower. UE is the only national union in the U.S. that explicitly limits the pay of officers to a pay level of members As noted above, all increases in the pay of UE national officers and staff must be approved by delegates to the national convention, as amendments to the union constitution, and then ratified by membership vote at local union meetings.

UE’s policy on salaries is deeply rooted in UE’s philosophy of unionism. UE sees unionism as a movement and unions as independent organizations of workers. When union leaders live in the same income bracket as rank-and-file workers, it helps them to stay in touch with the outlook and needs of workers. In UE's view, salaries for union officers and staff that are comparable to those of corporate executives tend to undermine a union’s commitment to its fundamental purpose.

From the local to the national level, UE has a strong ethic of accountability and transparency in all its financial practices, and opposes any trace of what it calls “petty corruption” among union officials. UE leaders at all levels are taught that union funds belong to the members, and that members are entitled to detailed reports on union finances at all levels, and to democratically decide on major spending.