Work Issues -- Getting Stiffed Over and Over Again

[sao123]

You probably deserve a raise... but demanding $13 without allowing for room of negotiation...well that could be trouble.

Also, I dont think asking for travel reimbursement is a bad idea, but if no-one else gets it, you probably wont.

 

[pclstyle]

Originally posted by: 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

your pay raises don't beat inflation.

'nuff said

 

[lokiju]

I'd never work for that little, not even $13 per hour is worth it IMO.

 

[snowdogg187]

Good job, I hope it all pans out. Like you said quit if they don't give you something better.

 

[Lithium381]

cant wait to see how this one unfolds

 

[tm37]

Originally posted by: necine

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
When the boss started paying new hires more than you, did you raise the issue then?

This is how I see a manager handling this;
You basically threatened him in the email. If he meets your demands, he may feel that the other employees would see him as weak and/ or that you are more of a peer than an employee. This is not good for the employee/boss relationship.

If he let you go, he would show the other employees that no one is so valuable that he couldn't do it without them. It would also show the other employees that he is the boss and he makes the decisions on who gets paid what.

Hopefully, you haven't backed yourself into a corner.

I didn't raise the issue because he was hired and the companies intention was to have him ONLY do service calls. The previous service call technician made 20/hr. They hired him at 10 as a training rate. I didn't care because he was doing a different job then me. They slated 300 hours training (I trained him). He basically said no to doing service calls. Since they told him it was a training rate they gave him a raise to 11. This raise JUST occured. I sent the e-mail the day after he received his raise.

I do see your point on how the manager will handle this. This is unacceptable. I just want to make 13/hr until I find a new job and quit. Completely horrendous management. Also when applying I want to be able to say I make 13 so I can start at a higher payrate at the new place.

When did what the co workers pay have anything to do with what you should make.

If I was to go to my boss and say I should get a 30% raise becuase all the other managers make more than me I am pretty sure he would show me my option. ANd that would be out the door.

Also as I look for new hires I understand that I may pay them more than the people working for me currently and these guys have between them 40 years of experence!.

You are worth what you except and not a penny more. There were things I recieved that some of the other employees were very ticked about but the fact is that I negotiated them WHEN I STARTED not a year into my employment.

I am really startled by the amount of whining that goes on here about I work harder and get less. Well clearly it is not all that bad because you are still there. If I was to try and get a tech to come in off the street in my industry I would have to pay them about 10% more than I make. And If I decided to do that I am sure that when I went to my boss and demanded a raise because I sobordinant was make more than me He would tell me that is too bad.

One of my guys was talking about taking a week off next week and jokinly stated that he was gonna take the other guy with him. He then said that I was gonna have to work 50 hours just to keep on top of the calls never mind the repairs and I said I would more then likely have to work 60-70 because I would need to do interviews to find his replacement.

While it was a joke there is one fact there are very few orginaizations that will die when they lose one employee. And far too often the employee puts themself above the orginization. those employees usually are not worth the grief they cause.

 

[Cal166]

You are getting screwed big time, $13/hour is not even worth it doing all that crap. You should had applied to the posting on the sticky "Need propellerhead hardware guru in NYC".

I remember doing the same thing while in HS making $13/hour and ended with $17/hour when I was my senior year of HS.

 

[MustangSVT]

there must be a reason that others are getting a raise and you are not.

and if your boss even says that he doesnt mind letting you go, you are doing something wrong imho.

 

[warbean]

update please with reaction to your email "request" =D

 

[necine]

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.

 

[necine]

Originally posted by: zerocool1
have your cousin or friend finished college or have any training? that might have something to do with the pay difference.

No. My cousin and I were in HS at the time and I trained him. He knew nothing about computers coming in. My friend and I are on par with computer skills. However, I'm extremely productive at office work and he's still learning the ropes.

 

[necine]

Originally posted by: DaiShan

Originally posted by: chambersc

Originally posted by: waggy
hahahah to be honest if you sent me that email i would have to fire you myself. you do not demand anything in a company (well when you do not have the power to do so).

From what the OP said, he definitly does have the power to do so.

It doesn't sound like you've ever worked for a company before. He is a line worker, tech support these days is a dime a dozen. Hell, My freshman year of college (3 years ago) some company offered me $6/hour to do tech support, and I had 2 certs at the time plus 1 years experience. Sure his replacement won't be as good, but he'll probably get paid less than the OP, and as long as he gets the job done, the company will be in a better position.You are only irreplaceable if the company risks going under without you, and if his boss is off glavanting around NO then his business is not in dire straits (or he's a complete idiot, in either case, the OP does NOT have the power here.)

WTF are u talking about. I'm not a line worker. I do everything in that place. If I leave the company wont go under. It will just be in a bad position.

 

[necine]

Originally posted by: sao123
You probably deserve a raise... but demanding $13 without allowing for room of negotiation...well that could be trouble.

Also, I dont think asking for travel reimbursement is a bad idea, but if no-one else gets it, you probably wont.

I get travel reimbursement at $.25 a mile... freakin rediculous. That BARELY covers gas.

 

[necine]

Originally posted by: Cal166
You are getting screwed big time, $13/hour is not even worth it doing all that crap. You should had applied to the posting on the sticky "Need propellerhead hardware guru in NYC".

I remember doing the same thing while in HS making $13/hour and ended with $17/hour when I was my senior year of HS.

You're in NYC i'm in south jersey. Completely different economies. If I was in NYC I could easily pull 20/hr.

 

[necine]

updated in OP.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: necine
updated in OP.

Sorry, you better brush up on that resume, you're going to be out of work soon.

 

[z0mb13]

yep seems like ur boss is finding excuses to fire u..

 

[maziwanka]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: necine
updated in OP.

Sorry, you better brush up on that resume, you're going to be out of work soon.

i hope you do land a better job. it sounds like they're taking advantage of you and you have enough skill to find some other work...

be happy and spend time with your gf who you havent seen for 6 weeks. it's far more important that a ****** job

 

[DaiShan]

Originally posted by: necine

Originally posted by: DaiShan

Originally posted by: chambersc

Originally posted by: waggy
hahahah to be honest if you sent me that email i would have to fire you myself. you do not demand anything in a company (well when you do not have the power to do so).

From what the OP said, he definitly does have the power to do so.

It doesn't sound like you've ever worked for a company before. He is a line worker, tech support these days is a dime a dozen. Hell, My freshman year of college (3 years ago) some company offered me $6/hour to do tech support, and I had 2 certs at the time plus 1 years experience. Sure his replacement won't be as good, but he'll probably get paid less than the OP, and as long as he gets the job done, the company will be in a better position.You are only irreplaceable if the company risks going under without you, and if his boss is off glavanting around NO then his business is not in dire straits (or he's a complete idiot, in either case, the OP does NOT have the power here.)

WTF are u talking about. I'm not a line worker. I do everything in that place. If I leave the company wont go under. It will just be in a bad position.

Line worker means someone that does the actual work. A rank and file employee, ie not in management, which you aren't. You don't have the power other wise you would have been given a raise, also you would have handled this whole situation a lot better (sending an email demanding a raise isn't gonna cut it)

 

[JS80]

1) Quit
2) Find new job
3) recruit your friends
4) Win.

 

[tm37]

Originally posted by: z0mb13
yep seems like ur boss is finding excuses to fire u..

Actually sounds like his boss is trying to get him to quit!

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: necine

Originally posted by: sao123
You probably deserve a raise... but demanding $13 without allowing for room of negotiation...well that could be trouble.

Also, I dont think asking for travel reimbursement is a bad idea, but if no-one else gets it, you probably wont.

I get travel reimbursement at $.25 a mile... freakin rediculous. That BARELY covers gas.

I wasnt sure if you actually got travel reinbursement at all... that is a little low, however the national authorized reimbursement for personal vehicle travel is currently only 34.5 cents per mile.

 

[BoomerD]

WASHINGTON ? The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2006 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2006, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (including vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

44.5 cents per mile for business miles driven;
18 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes; and
14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations, other than activities related to Hurricane Katrina relief.

 

[Britboy]

I can't believe you would work for that amount of money, you could make almost as much working in fast food with two brain cells.

If you really want to boost your salary you should forget the dump you're at now, go back to school, get your degree and land a real job (a real degree at a decent school, not some crappy community college mickey mouse degree). You'll have a hard time earning good money otherwise

 

[necine]

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????