[CS-FSLUG] United Church ministers want to unionize

[Don Parris]

On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 21:07:35 -0500, Frank Bax <fbax at sympatico.ca> wrote:
> Somebody (it doesn't matter who) wrote:
>  >  The call of God...Life of Poverty?
> 
> 
> Poverty?  Who said anything about "poverty"?  The article I initially
> quoted says that UCC ministers claim "wages approach those of
> sweatshops".  Search on news.google for "united church union" and you'll
> find several papers have since picked up on the story.  Some have more
> information:
> 
<snip>
> 
> Ownership of the minister's home does not affect his tax return.  If the
> minister owns the home, he is paid a housing allowance; this is considered
> a taxable benefit and the amount added to salary for income tax
> purposes.  If the congregation owns the home, the value of that
> accommodation is considered a taxable benefit and added to salary for
> income tax purposes.
> 
> So, by my calculations, United Church ministers in Canada earn a salary
> sufficient for them to qualify for maximum government pension when they
> retire.  That's not poverty in my book.
> 

Well, all my income is from my full-time job - not the ministry.  Of
course, I'm not in the UCC, either. :)


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