On any given day, if asked how much I make, I couldn’t tell you. I could give a rough estimate, but the exact hourly wage doesn’t really garner much attention from me. I know it’s enough to pay my bills and put away some money in my savings – beyond that, it’s just a number. And although the salary of my fellow state employee colleagues is a matter of public record, I never felt the need to look that up.
I figured it would just piss me off. And I was right.
There has been some discussion of a union on campus and to help stir people up, the supporters of this project have posted a link to this document in some easy to access areas.
So, I looked myself up – and my immediate co-workers.
Mistake.
I’m fine with someone that works harder or does a more complicated job making more than I do – or someone that has been here much longer than I have. Unfortunately, I’m the lowest paid person on the team. I’ve been here longer than most and I work much harder than the highest paid of my co-workers.
Am I going to protest or make a big deal of this? Am I going to storm into my boss’s office and demand a raise – or just storm out in a huff? No, of course not.
Am I going to work my ass off for the rest of the day? I think not.
Knowing me, I’ll most likely be over this tomorrow – provided I delete the note I made to myself with the hourly rates.
Just keep reminding myself that I like my job and that there are so many people out there that aren’t employed at all.
Still… grumble.