So ask for a raise. A thing is worth only what another is willing to pay for it. If others are willing to do the same work for the objected-to price, you're as

So ask for a raise. A thing is worth only what another is willing to pay for it. If others are willing to do the same work for the objected-to price, you're asking too much. Of course the company gets more value out of the work than the employee. If it were just break-even, the question would be "why bother?" and either just not have the work done, or find a radically different way to get it done (say, hiring Roomba if the cost of human floor-sweepers gets too high). The great thing about employment is BOTH get more out than they put in - yes, that includes the employee working there instead of elsewhere for lower pay, or not being paid for not working anywhere. Sucks, yes, at times. Most of human history involved a lot of effort to eek out a meager existence. If you want more, you gotta do more that others are willing to pay more for. Oh, and yes - you ARE asking for a "living wage from somebody's personal bank account". The Waltons are people too.