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Similarly, I think it's usually a good idea to share this information with coworkers, as ignorance only benefits the employer in negotiations. But friends? That
by pwinnski 4y ago
Similarly, I think it's usually a good idea to share this information with coworkers, as ignorance only benefits the employer in negotiations. But friends? That's different.
My coworkers are all in roughly the same socio-economic bracket, give or take, but I have friends and family who very much are not, and there's no need to ruffle feathers, no upside at all.
If you're young and nerdy and making not too much more than the average American household, it's probably fine! Once you're quite a bit more than six years out of school and making multiple times the average family, it's a bit more dicey.
- Linton1177 4y ago[dead]
- kerpotgh 4y agoNot if you’re making more than others in your role.
- khazhoux 4y agoRight. Unless you and your co-worker are at the same level and making the exact same, or you're making different amounts but aligned with your difference in levels, or unless you and your co-worker are both 100%-envy-free people... exactly one of you is going to be pissed off!
- pwinnski 4y agoWhich is a problem for the company choosing to pay us different amounts, right? Keeping employees in the dark is what companies want, so they can underpay as often as possible.
- thunky 4y agoProbably true. But would you be ok taking a pay cut in order for you and your equivalent peers to make the exact same amount? Cuts both ways.
- flandish 4y agoA properly united rank of employees will ensure the salaries are appropriate - who says they have to be cut? That’s just a scare tactic - why not scare the employer? Cuts both ways.
- thunky 4y agoBecause not all companies have incredible profits. They have to manage their money, and a big part of that is salary. I know it's convenient to believe that all employers are greedy Scrooge McMusks taking advantage of their employees, but most businesses are actually small and run by normal people just trying to keep the lights on without losing their shirt.
- flandish 4y agoI’m not speaking about a five person bakery, I am speaking about corporations run by a class of owner far and beyond that of the “mom and pop.” Walmart/Starbucks know if emps talk they unionize…
- thunky 4y agoThere's a lot of room between Walmart and "mom and pop". And I would guess that the majority of employees work for a company in that middle area. Try running a job search on any big job board and you'll see what I mean.
- flandish 4y agoI dont disagree. Except that I think at all levels employees discussing wage and benefit helps the employees and provides more look into what is being kept from them. Stronger employees will make stronger product. Even if that means stake/shareholders, who do not make the product, will receive less return on investment. So: what is the purpose of business? Provide jobs? Provide ROI? And at what ratio? Once that is decided, it’s easy to figure out what’s “allowed.”
- kerpotgh 4y ago[dead]
- flandish 4y agoHere’s the deal though: the “pissed off” ire should be directed at the employer. Making employees both pissed at each other and at the same time too scared to talk about salary means the employer gets it all the more easier to pay employees less. Employees are of the same class - and therefore should be open and honest about salary and benefits in an effort to ensure all members of the employee class are compensated appropriately and the employer is aware they need to compensate accordingly.
- number6 4y agoSame class, but no employee is the same.
- flandish 4y agoClass is important and the more people become conscious of how important class is - the better aligned they can all be. Scaring them with a spooking about salary talk being taboo just further divides people and only benefits the corporation’s desire to pay people as little as possible, ensuring they pay shareholders as much as possible.
- number6 4y agoIf the company is worker owned will they start to exploit themselves? Like e.g. über drivers and gig workers?