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> Unions are notorious for having well-paid administrative staff and leadership

Couldn't you say the same about corporations?

Corporations are spending their own money, unions are spending someone else's. That's the main difference. To be clear what I mean: At least in my country it is a legal requirement for the corporation to pay salaries of union leaders and staff - few FTEs per union.

Corporations are spending someone else’s money. They aren’t a mint. That is in no way different. A corporation is accountable to its owners, and a union is accountable to its owners. A corporation usually has fewer owners than a union, or at least can ignore most owners who aren’t on the board; whereas union leadership can be changed by its members, the workers.

But if the unions weren't as big then they wouldn't need as many administrators, would they?

You are holding unions to a standard that corporations can't achieve.