Here is another example of a credit union conference boondoggle.
EduCruises Credit Union Conference has a Scandinavia/Russian Voyage, which runs from August 1 through August 13.
Conference participants and their guests will travel the Baltic on Celebrity Constellation®.
Looking at the program, it seems that there will be four classroom days of the 13 day trip. The bulk of the trip involves sightseeing.
The cost for conference attendees ranges from $4,842.24 to $7,526.24. The companion rate ranges from $3,042.24 to $5,726.24.
However, if cruising the Baltic is not your cup of tea, you can plan to cruise the French Wine Country next year.
But should credit union members be paying for credit union officials to take a Baltic or French Wine Country junket?
For more info click here.
4 days of classrooom instruction totals 16 hours. Let's look at the quality time spent together at sea and skip quantity time spent together. We deserve it. We are a volunteer board of directors. We are not-for-profit. Because we are tax exempt we are entitled to spend what we would otherwise spend in government taxes on a cruise junket. 9 days of tour excursions and a couple of hours on education seems like a fair exchange for our hard work. This is the least our credit union can do to stimulate the global economy. Sure we could stay at home and attend a conference in the U.S. but what fun is that?
ReplyDeleteI believe Congress intended for the the credit union tax subsidy to be used for exotic cruises. Is this an educational conference? Is it a cruise? Is it a boondoggle on the Baltic? A 13 day cruise with about 13 hours of instruction. Do the math. Without the airfare and related port taxes, the credit union is paying about $400 per hour of seminar time. I am only surprised CUNA is not sponsoring the event.
ReplyDeleteOne does not need to get on a cruise to the Baltic to meet the Czar - she is alive and well at her NCUA throne on Duke Street.
ReplyDeleteWhen I come back, I want to be a cu director and go on vacas like this!
ReplyDeleteOr, even better, be a CEO working for a board like this.
They pay CEOs incredibly well, see CEO of sdccu pay for example.then,mid be paid phenom money and go on the cruise too!