The data is from a major union, and, therefore, may have a bias against chief executives. Numbers can be bent.
The AFL-CIO reports that CEO pay rose 14% last year:
According to data released by the AFL-CIO today, CEOs of S&P 500 Index companies received an average of $12.9 million in pay in 2011 – a 14 percent raise. The ratio of CEO to worker pay is now 380 to 1. The newly designed Executive PayWatch, a searchable online database, provides direct comparison of top CEO pay to average wages of workers, such as a nurse, teacher, firefighter and others.
The figure cannot be complete, since not all 2011 proxies for S&P 500 firms are in yet.
The union also tried to humilate public corporations that “hoarded” cash last year and fired workers. This list includes Verizon (NYSE: VZ), Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY), News Corp (NYSE: NWS), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and Wellpoint (NYSE: WLP).
Douglas A. McIntyre
Travel Cards Are Getting Too Good To Ignore
Credit card companies are pulling out all the stops, with the issuers are offering insane travel rewards and perks.
We’re talking huge sign-up bonuses, points on every purchase, and benefits like lounge access, travel credits, and free hotel nights. For travelers, these rewards can add up to thousands of dollars in flights, upgrades, and luxury experiences every year.
It’s like getting paid to travel — and it’s available to qualified borrowers who know where to look.
We’ve rounded up some of the best travel credit cards on the market. Click here to see the list. Don’t miss these offers — they won’t be this good forever.
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