According to a school finance watchdog group called Education Action Group, the Michigan Education Association is paying its staff disproportionate salaries albeit to the fact that they are bearing more than $100 million in debt at a time when its members are losing jobs and facing pay cuts.

State and local union leaders say that the Education Action Group illustrates a very depressing picture even if they have explained that the debt represents total pension debt to be paid out over decades, and that salaries are reasonable for a union comprising 157,000 members.

Here are some facts provided by EAG leaders:

Michigan Education Association President Iris Salters was paid $290,741 in salary and reimbursements.

Executive Director Luigi Battaglieri was paid $249,075, when the average Michigan teacher made $56,096.

The union carries a debt of $124 million, up from $36 million a year ago.

“The public has a right to know that it’s dealing with a financially shaky organization,” EAG spokesman Steve Gunn said.

“The union lectures school boards about having top-heavy administrations and evils of outsourcing. But if the salaries we’re seeing are an indication of how they spend their own money, they’re terrible money managers.”