3rd Party Anyone?

$ 1 7 2,1 0 3 part 1

Total reported compensation package for a Wisconsin union boss for a year. That's for 1 year. For 2008.

Alright I think you get the picture, well part of the picture. The rest of the picture - $1 7 2, 1 0 3 is the total compensation package that Terry "Gooch" McGowan, Union Boss of Local 139 Operating Engineers received for 2008. More correctly, that's what Gooch McGowan and Local 139 President Luciani reported to the Department of Labor, that Gooch received in 2008 in his compensation package from the International Union of Operating Engineers.

A Milwaukee, WI area newspaper in February 2008 pointed out, that while "A typical member of Operating Engineers Local 139 pulls in about $50,000 a year. The man elected to run the union -- which represents those working cranes, bulldozers and other heavy machinery -- is paid what any three rank-and-file members might collectively take home: $160,000+ a year." Authors Robert Herguth and Rich Rovito went on to say "Drawing from Local 139's coffers, business manager Terry McGowan's pay seems more in line with what business executives get. In other words, the people who union officials often rail against."

Well, the Business Journal is a lot off on the money - like $1 2, 1 0 3 off. And Gooch's compensation package is 3 . 4 times more than the median Wisconsin operator earns. But the authors, make their point that the money Gooch McGowan is paid came from Local 139 members who eat dirt sandwiches during their lunch break if they even get a break.