By Olivia Grady

In 2013, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton and the state legislature passed a bill, S.F. 778, which declared homecare workers “government employees,” solely for collective bargaining purposes.

After this bill passed, an “election” was held where only about 3,500 homecare workers voted in favor of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), unionizing 27,000. Now the SEIU is collecting 3 percent from union members (from those who wanted to join the union and maybe from some who didn’t). 

Three percent is a lot for Minnesota families, who rely on this money to care for their family members. But, you know who doesn’t think this is a lot of money? SEIU union leaders.

In 2013, Mary Kay Henry, the international president of the SEIU, was paid almost $300,000. The national SEIU’s Secretary Treasurer Eliseo Medina followed closely behind with a compensation package worth almost $273,000.  

In fact, over 200 of the union’s top employees made over $100,000 in 2013.

In the Minnesota state SEIU, Brian Elliott, the executive director of the SEIU Minnesota State Council, made almost $100,000, while the chief of staff, James Bialke, for SEIU Healthcare Minnesota was paid over $120,000.

How does this compare to average Minnesota salaries?

In 2015, the average Minnesotan made $49,740, a little less than half of what top union leaders in their state made. The average mean wage was even lower for home healthcare providers, like the ones unionized by the SEIU - between $23,000 and $26,000.

But what did these high-paid union leaders do to earn all that money?

The Minnesota state government practically organized for the union by passing the legislation. The homecare agencies in Minnesota do the human resources work (deducting dues, processing payment, etc.).

So, the union leaders just sit back and watch the money come in. Good gig if you can get it.