United Teachers of Dade
School district salary subsidies for teachers' union raise eyebrows
Miami-Dade County Public Schools is paying the United Teachers of Dade more than $1 million this year to subsidize the salaries of 18 union employees, according to an official M-DCPS document. Although the UTD has to reimburse the district for four of the salary subsidies -- a total of $171,827 -- it does not have to repay over $800,000.
The UTD represents the interests of more than 38,000 district employees, mostly teachers, and is currently battling the district for better salaries and benefits for its members. The revelation that the district is subsidizing the salaries of UTD employees, including President Karen Aronowitz and Vice-President Arthur Leichner, has raised eyebrows.
"The people who have to be upset are teachers," said school board member Marta Pérez. "There might be a conflict of interest where the union is representing teachers while being paid by the district."Read more