March 15 (Reuters) - Berkshire Hathaway ( BRK/A ) said

Warren Buffett raised the pay of his designated successor Greg

Abel to $20 million last year, as the conglomerate posted a

record operating profit.

The company also urged the rejection of six shareholder

proposals, including that Berkshire disclose more about its

plans to reduce greenhouse gases and improve diversity, monitor

the safety of its BNSF railroad unit more closely, and discuss

how much its operations depend on Chinese government activities.

Berkshire disclosed executive pay and the recommendations on

shareholder proposals in its annual proxy filing on Friday,

ahead of the Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate's May 4 annual

meeting.

Abel's salary comprised virtually all his compensation,

which grew from $19 million a year earlier. That sum included a

$16 million salary and $3 million bonus.

The 61-year-old vice chairman oversees Berkshire's

non-insurance operations such as BNSF, Berkshire Hathaway Energy

and dozens of chemical, industrial and retail operations.

Vice Chairman Ajit Jain, who oversees insurance operations

such as Geico, also received $20 million, up from $19 million.

Buffett's own pay totaled $413,595, comprising a $100,000

salary unchanged for more than 35 years, plus personal and home

security.

But the 93-year-old Buffett also owns 15.1% of Berkshire,

and his $135 billion fortune ranks sixth worldwide according to

Forbes magazine. Berkshire's operating profit totaled $37.4

billion in 2023.

BNSF, CHINA PROPOSALS

Some of the shareholder proposals on Berkshire's climate and

diversity efforts mirror proposals offered at last year's

meeting, none of which drew more than 27% support.

Buffett controls 31.2% of Berkshire's voting power, making

passage of proposals he opposes an uphill battle.

The BNSF proposal by the AFL-CIO Equity Index Funds urges

independent Berkshire directors to form a railroad safety

committee to monitor financial risks.

Those funds said the February 2023 Norfolk Southern ( NSC )

train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that caused a health

and environmental crisis illustrated a need for Berkshire to do

more to avert derailments and the resulting harm.

But Berkshire said BNSF already has state-of-the-art safety

programs, and a committee was inconsistent with Berkshire's

culture of letting its operating units handle their own affairs.

It also said BNSF is the only major U.S. railroad not to

adopt "Precision Scheduled Railroading," which relies on longer

and heavier trains that require fewer workers, and which some

observers believe may have contributed to the Ohio crash.

The China proposal from the conservative National Legal and

Policy Center said Berkshire "does not seem to take the China

threat seriously."

It cited late Vice Chairman Charlie Munger, who drew

applause at last year's annual meeting when he said: "If there's

one thing we should do, it's get along with China. And we should

have a lot of free trade with China, in our mutual interest."

Berkshire called issuing a report unnecessary, and said its

"Prohibited Business Practices Policy" specifically addresses

transactions with China and human rights issues.