Work Issues -- Getting Stiffed Over and Over Again

[necine]

Let me preface this story... I've worked at this company a total of 4 years. I worked there from 2000 - 2003, and then I left for college. When I dropped out of that school I came back I've been there about 1.5 years since I came back. When I was working there before my boss was looking for people and I told him to hire my cousin. Within 6 months my cousin was making more then me -- my cousin never asked for a raise.

Recently they were looking for people again and they hired my friend. My friend started at the same rate I make now. He recently got a 10% raise and a better gas rate when on service calls. My friend never asked for a raise. Now the office is severly understaffed, and I'm one of the only people there that can handle the load. This was admitted by my boss and my friend. My boss stated that he'd need 2 - 3 months notice if I were to quit.

So now I'm pissed because my boss is trying to take advantage of me. I currently make 10/hr. My friend makes 11/hr.

Edit: I guess I should put what I do? LOL... I used to do only technical support. Since so many people have been fired and left I currently do: tech support, billing, service calls, cancellations, light server maintence, website updates, light php/html/perl, and writing proposals.

Here's the e-mail:
I've been here over a year since I was "rehired". I think it's time to reevaluate my hourly rate. I don't like going back and forth with offers and negotiations. I think a fair amount is $13. Also, when I go on a service call and ask for gas money (occasionally I haven't) I think $0.35 is a fair amount in order to offset current gas prices and trends.

Cliffs:
I've worked at this company 4 years
My boss keeps giving recently hired people more money then me
Even though I'm a better worker
Sent e-mail

Update: Monday 08/07/06
There was not one mention of my raise by my office manager. My boss called and asked to speak with the office manager. He didn't mention it and she didn't mention it. She did leave her desk (right behind me) and go to his desk. That could have been for a number of reasons though.

The office manager was particularly observant and critical of my activities today. Example conversation "Last Friday, on the service call why did you bring the computer back to the office?" "She didn't have the barcode scanner necessary to configure the POS system so I couldn't set it up. I had to leave the backup system in place." "Yeah, but why didn't you just leave it there" "There was no where to put it. Besides when I called you and told you exactly what I was going to do you never mentioned NOT to bring the system back." "They have a closet! The computer is there's and thus there responsibility." "Honestly, does it make a difference if I left it there or brought it back." "Not really, just trying to save the next person a trip lugging that thing around." "It's not a big deal I'll carry it to the car for whoever goes."

I haven't seen my GF in 6 weeks and she wants to come down tomorrow. I want to see her but I'm not sure if I should take a day off in the process of asking for a raise. I ate some chinese today and it did a number on me landing me in the bathroom for a good 20 minutes... I guess I could pull that as an excuse.

Update: 08/08/06

I called out from work 2 hours before I was supposed to be there and claimed to be sick. Really, I just wanted to spend the day with my gf. I just got this e-mail:

Hey Steve - [the owner] has set your increased rate to $11.50 per hour with 35
cents per mile for mileage allottment when you travel. The increase
started Monday the 7th. Thanks!

I'm really not sure what to do right now. All I know is I will be sending out my resume to anyone hiring. This is unacceptable. What should I do????

Update: 08/10/06
My boss is back from New Orleans. I will be discussing my wage with him in person tomorrow.

 

[silverspear]

what do you do again ? and which state

 

[BCYL]

Have you already sent that e-mail? Because that DOES not sound good... you were basically telling your boss to give you a raise, not asking for one... that doesn't go over too well with management...

 

[olds]

Do you live with your parents?

 

[necine]

Originally posted by: BCYL
Have you already sent that e-mail? Because that DOES not sound good... you were basically telling your boss to give you a raise, not asking for one... that doesn't go over too well with management...

The e-mail has been sent and read.

 

[Eeezee]

I had the same problem at my old job. Friend got hired after me, made $1/hour more. Someone else got hired and made $2/hour more than me 2 months after hiring when I had been working there much longer. He didn't do much work. I ended up quitting, the job was stressful because I ended up doing most of the work and was paid less for it.

You have every right to demand a raise

 

[necine]

Originally posted by: silverspear
what do you do again ? and which state

I guess I should put what I do? LOL... I used to do only technical support. Since so many people have been fired and left I currently do: tech support, billing, service calls, cancellations, light server maintence, website updates, light php/html/perl, and writing proposals.

In NJ.

 

[ubercaffeinated]

Originally posted by: BCYL
Have you already sent that e-mail? Because that DOES not sound good... you were basically telling your boss to give you a raise, not asking for one... that doesn't go over too well with management...

i'm hoping that's his cliff's note email...

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: BCYL
Have you already sent that e-mail? Because that DOES not sound good... you were basically telling your boss to give you a raise, not asking for one... that doesn't go over too well with management...

Should have been done face to face anyway.

 

[silverspear]

kinda off the main topic... but how does your business do advertising. I just needed ideas form my small business.

 

[necine]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
Do you live with your parents?

My grams recently passed. I'm living in her house until the house is sold. I pay rent to the executor of the estate (my aunt). I'm still in college so I don't pay that much. I guess it's enough to cover the bills though.

 

[necine]

Originally posted by: makoto00

Originally posted by: BCYL
Have you already sent that e-mail? Because that DOES not sound good... you were basically telling your boss to give you a raise, not asking for one... that doesn't go over too well with management...

i'm hoping that's his cliff's note email...

No, that's the full e-mail.

 

[Homerboy]

you sent that email to a boss?
heh
I don't care how laid-back the place is, that email is horrendous.
Should have been done face to face.

 

[necine]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: BCYL
Have you already sent that e-mail? Because that DOES not sound good... you were basically telling your boss to give you a raise, not asking for one... that doesn't go over too well with management...

Should have been done face to face anyway.

Trust me, I would've preferred face-to-face. However, my boss is currently starting another company in New Orleans and is not in the office. All wage negotiations go through him and bypass the office manager. Although, I sent the e-mail to my boss and the office manager.

 

[NaOH]

Consider yourself getting a paycut with that e-mail. You should've gone in to talk to him in person, face to face if you were looking for a raise.

Edit: just read your latest post. Should've written a more professional e-mail in that case.

 

[Lucky]

Yikes. I don't know how you'd expect a raise after sending that email.

 

[Baked]

$10/hour? Ouch. Dell tech support makes more money than you.

 

[necine]

Originally posted by: Baked
$10/hour? Ouch. Dell tech support makes more money than you.

I know man. I also live in NJ, one of the priciest places in the country to live. I have zero cash. I survive off of $50/week food money ALL of the rest goes to rent, insurance, and gas. I'm sick of this crap because I'm his best worker. He knows it, the office manager knows it... They can't fire me. However, if I don't get this raise he's getting 2 weeks notice.

If he counter-offers $11 I'm going to say $13... If he counters $12. I'm going to say $13. If I don't get this raise by next Friday I give my 2 weeks. I don't care if I have another job lined up or not.

Oh and I recently lost my cellphone. I just took the work one and told him I'm going to be making personal calls on it. He said... "Hmmm... Ok. Just not too many."

 

[necine]

Originally posted by: BCYL
Have you already sent that e-mail? Because that DOES not sound good... you were basically telling your boss to give you a raise, not asking for one... that doesn't go over too well with management...

That was the point. I don't really care about the management.

 

[necine]

Originally posted by: silverspear
kinda off the main topic... but how does your business do advertising. I just needed ideas form my small business.

We have a partership with a local radio station. We provide free business class DSL and they provide free advertising spots. We have similar relationships with the chamber of commerce in several counties. I suppose you could establish similar relationships using service contracts.

 

[Maximus96]

i'm interested to hear updates.

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: necine

Here's the e-mail:
I've been here over a year since I was "rehired". I think it's time to reevaluate my hourly rate. I don't like going back and forth with offers and negotiations. I think a fair amount is $13. Also, when I go on a service call and ask for gas money (occasionally I haven't) I think $0.35 is a fair amount in order to offset current gas prices and trends.

Uh, no.

You just pwned yourself, because the company can deduct 44.5 cents/mile.

 

[tm37]

Well if you are worth more why not find another job.

I am in management and recently a customer called both of my techs and inquired they pay about 20% more then I pay. I told them that 1. es it is more however it is alot harder and involves alot of travel. 2. I would consider trying to get them more money IF they got a written offer from them. 3. if you threaten to quit you need to be ready for me to call your bluff.

Neither persued the opportunity. Money is a key factor in any job but as someone making 30% less than I was less then 4 years ago I would not go back to the higher pay AND job. You need to look at everything and realize that life is not fair. until you are ready to quit you have no leverage

 

[gooseman]

Originally posted by: necine

Originally posted by: Baked
$10/hour? Ouch. Dell tech support makes more money than you.

I know man. I also live in NJ, one of the priciest places in the country to live. I have zero cash. I survive off of $50/week food money ALL of the rest goes to rent, insurance, and gas. I'm sick of this crap because I'm his best worker. He knows it, the office manager knows it... They can't fire me. However, if I don't get this raise he's getting 2 weeks notice.

If he counter-offers $11 I'm going to say $13... If he counters $12. I'm going to say $13. If I don't get this raise by next Friday I give my 2 weeks. I don't care if I have another job lined up or not.

Oh and I recently lost my cellphone. I just took the work one and told him I'm going to be making personal calls on it. He said... "Hmmm... Ok. Just not too many."

The minute you start thinking that they "can't" fire you, you will find yourself in the street.

 

[necine]

Originally posted by: tm37
Well if you are worth more why not find another job.

I am in management and recently a customer called both of my techs and inquired they pay about 20% more then I pay. I told them that 1. es it is more however it is alot harder and involves alot of travel. 2. I would consider trying to get them more money IF they got a written offer from them. 3. if you threaten to quit you need to be ready for me to call your bluff.

Neither persued the opportunity. Money is a key factor in any job but as someone making 30% less than I was less then 4 years ago I would not go back to the higher pay AND job. You need to look at everything and realize that life is not fair. until you are ready to quit you have no leverage

I am ready to quit if need be. My job used to be lax and $10 was fine because I really didn't do much except wait for phones to ring. However, now I'm seriously doing EVERYTHING. If you ask for tech. dept. it's ME. If you ask for billing it's ME. If you ask for sales it's ME. In addition to service calls, network maintence, AND programming. I'm getting stiffed. I'm a hard worker too.

That's valuable advice though. Thanks.

You think it's fair that a guy I'm training to do everything I do makes more money then me and has been there less then a month? Yeah, that's fair.