Annual pay for Super - need some comps

Don't know how much use this is, but two years ago the union-represented super at the Apthorp was making $38 per hour.

To keep a good super some buildings will sweeten the pot. In mine we pay for his parking.

Thanks, NWT. This is very helpful. Do you know if the standard assumption for Super pay is 40 hrs / week or some other figure? I know that these guys often work awkward hours, especially if something breaks in the middle of the night, but then again, there are hours of the day and even whole days when they don't really need to do anything. We're looking at our budget for next year and the amount we're paying our super is starting to stick out as a major expense, so I was wondering if we're paying our Super too much...

Standard workweek is 40 hours. The current 32B-32J contract is at http://www.seiu32bj.org/cd/pdf/RAB_res_2006.pdf.

I think I read somewhere, though, that supers aren't always in the union, even if the rest of the staff is, and some buildings are open-shop.

Certainly one wants to watch one's expenses, but I'd ask myself "How good is the super?" Remember those 'priceless' commercials? I was living in Los Angeles when we had that huge earthquake in January, 5:30 AM, 1993 maybe. The guy that ran our building was fabulous & really took care of the situation while the building next door had a fire; I've often thought that it was our super who saved us from the same fate.

None of our building's staff belong to the union. Would I be right then in assuming that our Super should be making less than the union Super at the Apthorp?

Union pay also goes up with years of experience and also extra education. When I lived on West End Ave, we had a superb super who had FEMA training, plumbing and heating repair training, etc etc. During the time I lived there we renovated his apartment with new kitchen etc... Best investment ever.

Don't get me wrong. We like our super and he does a great job, especially in emergencies. I just wanted to know if we are paying a lot more than the market warrants.