The 50 Highest Paid Employees and Officers in Philadelphia Unions (and No, Johnny Doc Is Not #1)
With Philadelphia’s unions back in the news in a very big way, we thought we’d take a look at who earns what in our local unions.
We examined the 2013 financial reports that the unions are required to file with the United States Department of Labor and found the 50 union employees and officers who received the most from those unions between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2013.
We also researched the average employee compensation for each union and the percentage of employees of the unions who earn more than $75,000.
While carpenter union head Ed Coryell tops the list, bringing home about $25,000 more than electrical union boss John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty, Doc’s union is responsible for 14 entries on our top 50 list, for a collective $2.3 million in 2013.
| Union | Name | Title | Total Comp. | Avg. Union Comp. | % > $75,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters | Coryell, Edward | Business Manager | $309,830 | $84,118 | 58.7 |
| Electricians | Dougherty, John | Business Manager | $286,920 | $73,952 | 34.4 |
| Steelworkers 286 | Simone III, Carlo | Business Manager | $248,093 | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Laborers 332 | Staten, Samuel | Business Manager | $243,606 | $61,834 | 27.8 |
| DC-33 | Matthews, Herman | President | $222,574 | $22,924 | 9.4 |
| Ironworkers 401 | Dougherty, Joseph | Business Agent | $211,989 | $73,647 | 19.2 |
| Sheet Metal | Masino, Gary | Business Manager | $203,998 | $39,526 | 26 |
| Plumbers 420 | Gallo, Thomas | Business Manager | $198,048 | $63,602 | 32.6 |
| DC-33 | MacDonald, Elizabeth | Secretary Treasurer | $193,854 | $22,924 | 9.4 |
| DC-33 | Wallace, Franklin | Controller | $190,488 | $22,924 | 9.4 |
| Carpenters | Naughton, Robert | Head Organizer | $190,416 | $84,118 | 58.7 |
| Laborers DC | Boyer, Ryan | Business Manager | $187,589 | $68,572 | 26.7 |
| Transportation 769 | Sampson, Dirk | General Chairman | $179,895 | $78,208 | 28.6 |
| Elevators | Loomis, Edward | Business Manager | $176,900 | $130,518 | 21.7 |
| Plaster/Cement 8 | Kilkenny, Thomas | Business Manager | $174,320 | $86,736 | 21.1 |
| Teachers 8036 | Kirsch, Theodore | President | $172,806 | $69,831 | 40 |
| Plaster/Cement 8 | Taylor, William | President | $169,300 | $86,736 | 21.1 |
| Electricians | Bark, Robert | Sergeant of Arms | $167,359 | $73,952 | 34.4 |
| Electricians | Browne, Timothy | Vice President | $166,786 | $73,952 | 34.4 |
| Painters | Ashdale, Joseph | Business Manager | $165,319 | $86,919 | 60 |
| Laborers 57 | Higgins, Walter | Business Manager | $163,769 | $74,423 | 38.5 |
| Electricians | Burrows, Brian | President | $163,557 | $73,952 | 34.4 |
| Plumbers 420 | McInerney, Christopher | Business Agent | $159,310 | $63,602 | 32.6 |
| Ironworkers 405 | Penna, Edward | President | $159,161 | $89,391 | 25 |
| Electricians | Crawford, Marita | Business Agent | $158,369 | $73,952 | 34.4 |
| Electricians | Foy, James | Executive Board | $157,722 | $73,952 | 34.4 |
| Asbestos | Pettit, Stephen | Business Manager | $157,003 | $72,731 | 28.6 |
| Bricklayers | Pagliotti, Dennis | President | $156,101 | $69,256 | 47 |
| Electricians | Coppinger, Edward | Executive Board | $155,601 | $73,952 | 34.4 |
| Electricians | Walker, George | Business Agent | $154,733 | $73,952 | 34.4 |
| Laborers 332 | Robinson, Andrew | Secretary Treasurer | $154,429 | $61,834 | 27.8 |
| Electricians | Wolfe, Stephen | Executive Board | $153,576 | $73,952 | 34.4 |
| Ironworkers 401 | Prophet, Christopher | Business Agent | $153,554 | $73,647 | 19.2 |
| Electricians | Snyder, James | Business Agent | $153,546 | $73,952 | 34.4 |
| Electricians | Thompson, Robert | Examining Board | $152,619 | $73,952 | 34.4 |
| Plumbers 420 | Jackson, Stephen | Asst. Business Manager | $152,058 | $63,602 | 32.6 |
| Plumbers 692 | Miller, Wayne | Business Manager | $151,651 | $42,291 | 26.1 |
| Plumbers 420 | Gallagher, Anthony | Business Manager | $151,629 | $63,602 | 32.6 |
| Plumbers 420 | Meile, Michael | Business Agent | $151,129 | $63,602 | 32.6 |
| Ironworkers 405 | Malone, Samuel | Business Manager | $151,072 | $89,391 | 25 |
| Electricians | Stevenson, Brian | Business Agent | $151,014 | $73,952 | 34.4 |
| Electricians | Gormley, Robert | Executive Board | $150,871 | $73,952 | 34.4 |
| Elevators | Koch, John | Business Rep. | $150,738 | $130,518 | 21.7 |
| Plumbers 420 | Heffernan, Kevin | Financial Secretary | $149,629 | $63,602 | 32.6 |
| Asbestos | Cellucci, Robert | Business Agent | $149,032 | $72,731 | 28.6 |
| Plumbers 420 | McMahon, Brian | Business Agent | $148,500 | $63,602 | 32.6 |
| Electricians | Devine , Nehemiah | Business Agent | $148,240 | $73,952 | 34.4 |
| Teachers 8036 | Ocmand, Alison | Staff | $148,234 | $69,831 | 40 |
| Asbestos | Rickert, Ronald | Business Agent | $148,067 | $72,731 | 28.6 |
| Plumbers 420 | Walls, James | Asst. Business Manager | $147,666 | $63,602 | 32.6 |
A few notes about our data:
The total compensation includes all disbursements to the individual during 2013, including base salary and other forms of compensation.
The average union compensation represents the average compensation for all employees, while the final column indicates the percentage of union employees earning more than $75,000. These two last columns are based on 2012 data. These figures refer to actual employees of the union, not to union members.
The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (AFT Local 3, AFL-CIO) was not included in this analysis. According to a PFT spokesperson, they are not required to file a report with the Department of Labor because they only represent public sector employees.
