Andy McSmith
Bob Crow died not knowing how well off he was, to judge by today’s news. The Daily Telegraph opens its tribute to him with the words: “Bob Crow defended his £145,000 salary, insisting: ‘I am worth it.’ And so he was.”
Yesterday’s Standard referred to his “£145,000 salary.” On the BBC website he is described as having “lived in a council house, despite earning £145,000 a year.” The same words are on page 13 of The Times.
Even Reuters, normally so reliable, reported that he was on “an annual salary of 145,000 pounds ($241,200).”
No he wasn’t.
His annual salary was around £96,000.
The confusion arises because when the Certification Officer examines trade union accounts, he asks not what the General Secretary is paid, but what it costs to employ him.
I can’t find the latest figures on line, but the 2012 figures are here. Scroll down to page 11, and you find that Bob Crow’s salary was then £89,805.
With £10,313 employers’ national insurance, and £34,429 pension contributions, which came to an overall pay package of £134,547.
Bob Crow was well paid, but never had anything approaching a £145,000 salary.
Bob Crow died not knowing how well off he was, to judge by today’s news. The Daily Telegraph opens its tribute to him with the words: “Bob Crow defended his £145,000 salary, insisting: ‘I am worth it.’ And so he was.”
Yesterday’s Standard referred to his “£145,000 salary.” On the BBC website he is described as having “lived in a council house, despite earning £145,000 a year.” The same words are on page 13 of The Times.
Even Reuters, normally so reliable, reported that he was on “an annual salary of 145,000 pounds ($241,200).”
No he wasn’t.
His annual salary was around £96,000.
The confusion arises because when the Certification Officer examines trade union accounts, he asks not what the General Secretary is paid, but what it costs to employ him.
I can’t find the latest figures on line, but the 2012 figures are here. Scroll down to page 11, and you find that Bob Crow’s salary was then £89,805.
With £10,313 employers’ national insurance, and £34,429 pension contributions, which came to an overall pay package of £134,547.
Bob Crow was well paid, but never had anything approaching a £145,000 salary.
I'm sorry, David but pension contributions really are part of his employment package. Agreed, employers NICs are not. If I am applying for a job, I am very interested in these. That gives us a something in the region of £124K not £96K but not £145K. He was undoubtedly still worth it though!
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