A raise.

[Remmy4477]

The company I work for (LTL Carrier) gave us our annual May raise. $1.25 this year.

With everything going on in the world I'm just happy to be working, so the raise is welcomed.
Yet quite a few senior drivers and many of the newbies are having a fit about it. Most are saying it's not enough or we deserve better.

I've been with this company for just over 20 years now. When I started here it was $16 something.
Took me twenty years to break over $36 an hour.

I think there was six years we did not get anything raise wise. And most of the crew was ok with that, they were working. But now nothing but complaining about a buck and a quarter raise.

Most of these guys have maybe 5-8 years in the industry, I just breached 37 years in it. When I started driving in LTL the non union outfits were $5-6 an hour at best, the unions at the time were paying $12 an hour. Times have changed wage wise.

I just don't understand the complaints about a raise, the company treats us good, lots of perks and decent benefits. Since Captain Tripp's the LTL industry has been struggling to recover from all the setbacks and low freight volume. Our company mustered through it and made and are still making a profit.

Still all the complaints I've heard this last week, WOW! I just don't get it? Maybe it's just me?

Just an old guy talking! Need more coffee I guess?

[PJEagle]

There is nothing wrong with your thinking. Some of us older folks remember when we were thankful to have a job. If the younger people don't appreciate the raise, they can always go somewhere else.

[country gent]

There are many who truly believe if their willing to go 1.25 they'll go 1.75. Many newer workers also dont know that a raise used to be EARNED by skill, performance, knowledge and productivity.

[Handloader109]

My daughter works for one of the big trucking firms. They are hurting. They did give a decent raise last year, but are looking at very little thus year. The industry had a large boon during the shutdown and afterwards, but things hit a brick wall last year. Oh, things like the 99 cent stores closing have dramatic affect. They have 2000 drivers and 200 managers affected by just that one chain. A buck and a quarter raise? Ain't bad at all. But when the CEO is making several million a year, it chaps people. But divide that 2 or 3 million by 10k or 20k folks and it is maybe a hundred a YEAR for all of them. Which works out to maybe a nickle an hour..... but most couldn't do the math.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[dverna]

You are old and stupid. You should be getting at least a $2/hr raise.

I don't understand people. If they think they are worth more, then get another job.

Some of those guys need to get laid off for a couple of months and learn some hard lessons.

My buddy lost his job when Yellow Freight close up. The union was partly to blame. Lots of regrets now.

[Mr Peabody]

I drove truck most of my working life, 27% of the load was standard. I finally got an hourly job in '91. What a nice change, it paid $8.50 @hr and overtime. Every time I heard someone bitch about things I'd say Go do better. Most couldn't.

[ascast]

$1.25 for the year? or per hour this year?

[Meatball357]

Agreed Don. I almost wish this entire country would fall on real hard times for a week to knock some sense into Americans.

I remember cleaning public toilets as a youth for $2.10/hr, and I had to be picked from our class of 600 just for that honor!

[Remmy4477]

$1.25 for the year? or per hour this year?
Per hour.

[slownsteady22]

Not a truck driver but I work in a heavy manufacturing plant that is union. We received a decent pay raise this past year, seen the same kind of complaints about money. Most of my coworkers aren't worth minimum wage in my opinion.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[Remmy4477]

You are old and stupid. You should be getting at least a $2/hr raise.

I don't understand people. If they think they are worth more, then get another job.

Some of those guys need to get laid off for a couple of months and learn some hard lessons.

My buddy lost his job when Yellow Freight close up. The union was partly to blame. Lots of regrets now.

Yea the YRC deal was bad! Have quite a few friends who are struggling after the shut down.

I was at NW back in the 90's when they shut the doors, that was a bad time!

[MaryB]

When I was working at the casino my supposed boss leaked who got what for raises to try and get some of the deadwood to quit. They got 1%, I got 10%... they came whining to me... I looked at them and flat out said "What do you do(grunt labor) compared to what I do(senior electronics tech/special projects manager)?" They stammered and made excuses and I looked at them and told them to "get out of my office, I have real work to do. Go back to drinking your pop sitting on your butt waiting for a service call you probably can't handle and I will have to go fix it."

They would slink out... 2 quit... 2 others decided to start learning how to improve themselves and get better pay...

[rancher1913]

playing devils advocate but think along these lines, you make say 35 bucks an hour and get a 2 buck raise our doing ok, newer driver started out at 20 bucks an hour gets a 2 buck raise their still below the poverty line and can not afford basic necessities, wouldn't you whine a little

[M-Tecs]

Did the raise cover the cost-of-living increase in your area? While I agree raises are always nice they are less nice if you are going backwards in purchasing power. In the past I've had zero raises or hourly cuts company wide.

[Txcowboy52]

I was always taught growing up, you only deserve a raise if you do your job well are dependable and are willing to go above and beyond as well as having a good attitude. So many people think they are owed something. Having a job should always be appreciated. Doing your best should always be expected. If you’re not happy go somewhere else, being happy and content is a state of mind, it’s that simple. You should enjoy what you do, knowing you have to take the good with the bad . If you can’t do that, move on and do everyone a favor. Just my humble opinion.

[Remmy4477]

playing devils advocate but think along these lines, you make say 35 bucks an hour and get a 2 buck raise our doing ok, newer driver started out at 20 bucks an hour gets a 2 buck raise their still below the poverty line and can not afford basic necessities, wouldn't you whine a little


Sadly 6 years ago the company could not find drivers. Their solution to the problem, raise the starting wage to what the senior people are making. So now everyone, new hire and senior people are getting the same wage.

Of course we have had a rash of some real fine folks that wreck before they even reach the street. LOL

[fg-machine]

Sometimes a raise can be rather insulting, $1.25 No so much .

But at my 1 and only job after 18 months @ $5.25 per hour the boss was so proud to give me a 5 cents per hour raise .
I asked him if he was sure he could afford the 2 bucks a week ...

That was the last paycheck I ever took from an employer , took my meager savings bought a 60 series monarch lathe and went out on my own .
Not because I was ungrateful for the job but because I could no longer tolerate my future being in someone else's hands .

[.429&H110]

I remember when minimum wage was $1.65
I started at 5X that, got to 10X, early 70's that was tall cotton.
Ended up at 4X minimum wage in 2016

The 70's yankee boss would give nickle raises
People would tell him to shove his nickle
so he did
(yankees keep nickles in funny places)
Butt I said gee thank you.
and next month, got another nickle
and the next: years end had 50 cents an hour more.
50 cents in 1973 was two gallons of gas.
Nickle drafts in a bar...
Take a raise and say thank you.

[elmacgyver0]

I never asked for a raise in my life, I figured if they didn't pay what I was worth I should find a new job.
I have always had a roof over my head and enough food to eat.
I had a retirement party when I turned 68, now I am a half a month away from 73.
I am still working part time, because I was asked to, not because I asked for it.
I have a computer, cell phone and a nice little Malibu to drive supplied by the company.
A lot better than sweeping floors at MacDonalds, life is good.

[country gent]

One thing I learned early on was the boss dosnt want to hear how hard it is, how busy you are, What he wants to hear is Lets see what we can do.

In most industries raises are normally not a set amount but a percentage of your current wage.

I hear what the Ceo is making but do you have to deal with the issues he does keeping shareholders happy keeping work coming in and upgrading everything, keeping the doors open, and last keeping every gov state and local agency happy?

I always told apprentices to take all the training classes offered by the employer. The shop could close the doors and youd loose your tools, but what they put in your head they couldnt take. Employers dont pay for the tools you own but for your experience and knowledge. They other is knowledge is one thing you can give away and keep at the same time.

A lot of people after 5 years are comfortable in the job and scared to move. They dont want to give up seniority, and what they are used to. Ive known a few that were forced to find new jobs later in their careers and almost all were happier with the new job.I did it in the late 90s and the new job was much better.

The other is a actual pay raise is good but better are improvements in benefits, vacations, guarantees in job security, and retirement plans. In the long run these are more valuable.

The trick is to make yourself the valuable employee, the go to person. The one who always tries and usually succeeds. The one always willing to learn. The one who can do.

[dverna]

Life doesn’t owe you squat. If someone thinks they are underpaid, but cannot find a job that pays more…well…it ain’t rocket surgery. Maybe they are a legend in their own mind?

Anyway. Looks there will be plenty of “newcomers” who will take jobs for a lot less. The plan is working. Screw Americans.

[elmacgyver0]

Life doesn’t owe you squat. If someone thinks they are underpaid, but cannot find a job that pays more…well…it ain’t rocket surgery. Maybe they are a legend in their own mind?

Anyway. Looks there will be plenty of “newcomers” who will take jobs for a lot less. The plan is working. Screw Americans.
Americans have been too fat and lazy for too long of time.

[country gent]

There are to many that have forgotten its a fair days pay for a fair days work. Theres to many who want to sit and play rather than do the job. But this goes both ways as there employers cutting workers and over loading the ones left.

Ive seen new hires that think they should get the slack the 30 year man is getting. Ive seen the new guy tell the 30 year man that he should retire to make room for them. To me the 30 year man was the source of knowledge and experience I wanted to draw on.

[MrWolf]

Last I checked this was America and you were free to work wherever you wanted, assuming they offered you a job. You don't have to take a job. What you do is up to you. Look for more compensation or improve yourself. Really that simple. No one owes you a certain wage.

[Winger Ed.]

A few years ago, while I was still working we all went in and got our evaluations and raises.

I did real well, and others not so much.
The owner of the company predicted some of the others wouldn't be very happy with their results & such.
I told him if they could be replaced by someone else for the same money- or less,,,, the world was level and in balance.

He wasn't used to people talking to him like that.

[fatelk]

I work for a large nation wide company with thousands of employees. Raises are always about the same every year, with very little variation for performance. It's called a "merit increase", but there's very little merit involved, and you're lucky if it keeps up with inflation. Staying in the same position year after year, no matter how much experience and value you gain, will generally not increase your inflation-adjusted income by a cent. Improving and making yourself valuable will get you noticed though, and give you a better shot at moving on to a better position that pays more, or finding a better job with a different employer.

We have one engineer, a really decent, smart, hard-working guy, who left a couple years ago for a better job with a competitor. After a year or so he came back. The grass wasn't greener; the stress and workload with the competitor was not to his liking at all. He had earned a good reputation with us though, and was able to come back to an even better position.

Sure, things are unfair sometimes, but the way to get ahead is by working hard and making yourself more valuable, not by griping and complaining.

[ulav8r]

Was talking to an airline attendant last weekend. He is too young to retire but has worked long enough to earn a pension, once he reaches retirement age. If he left now he would have no income for 10-12 years. Also, he recently got a raise, worked out to about $74 a month. At about the same the monthly parking while he was working went to $65 a month so he is clearing an extra $10 a month to cover Biden's cost of living increases.

[Winger Ed.]

Staying in the same position year after year, no matter how much experience and value you gain, will generally not increase your inflation-adjusted income by a cent. Improving and making yourself valuable will get you noticed though, and give you a better shot at moving on to a better position that pays more, or finding a better job with a different employer..

Most young people don't realize that staying with one company for a long, long time is not the path to the big bucks.
It can happen, but usually not.

For most people to get noticeably more money- they usually need to change companies, or even career paths.
I've seen places where the 'old timers' were upset that new people got hired in and paid more than they were
for the same job.

[BNE]

I am a plant manager. I have been in a management role for over 19 years. I have hired and fired hundreds during that time. The worst week of every year is the week we do reviews and give out more money. Somehow, any discussion of money always gets people upset. I have a handful of people who are always grateful. But unfortunately, those are few and far between the company I work for does a good job of analyzing the pay scale at least twice a year. During Covid we did it three times. Not everybody got a raise three times but we made sure we were fair and consistent.

I appreciate the comments you guys have made, but it is my experience that raise time equals gripe time!

BNE

[8mmFan]

Most of the replies in this thread are probably why I like coming to Cast Boolits so much. Yes, I like all the knowledge about casting boolits I've picked up over the years. I like learning new things, etc.

But the thing I like the most about this place is the general attitude of self-reliance, independent thinking, and "suck it up, and drive on." My dad died in November. He was 84. He lived the philosophy in most of the replies above, and he passed that down to his kids. It feels like I'm with my family when I come in here. If dad had been more of a gun guy he'd have had 15,000 posts here, LOL. He'd have really liked this crowd.

8mmFan

[Dave W.]

Complaining about how much money a person is making seems to be a common thing at every job I worked at. It seems like a lot of people are just not happy with their lives, rather than doing something constructive to make more money, they complain. Over the years I learned to ignore them.

[Iron369]

Idk where you are located, but in some markets, that’s a decent raise. In other places….not so much.
Being union, our raises were set by the contract. The labor market and economy were in a vastly different state 4 years ago when the last contract was signed. Due to our lack of competitive wages, we CANT get skilled workers to even apply. Those of us working, can work as much overtime as we can stand. My average week is 75 hours just because I don’t want to work more. The hourly rate is $5-$12 less than nearly everyone else. A $.50 raise doesn’t cut it. I’m an electrician by trade so I can go to work and make more per hour any day. I’m just getting too old to work on construction projects anymore.

[M-Tecs]

I am a plant manager. I have been in a management role for over 19 years. I have hired and fired hundreds during that time. The worst week of every year is the week we do reviews and give out more money. Somehow, any discussion of money always gets people upset. I have a handful of people who are always grateful. But unfortunately, those are few and far between the company I work for does a good job of analyzing the pay scale at least twice a year. During Covid we did it three times. Not everybody got a raise three times but we made sure we were fair and consistent.

I appreciate the comments you guys have made, but it is my experience that raise time equals gripe time!

BNE

I've been on both sides of the table also. Performance reviews are never fun. Generally, most people are happy when they get a real raise. When the "raise" is less than inflation and the cost-of-living increases for that area it's more of a cost-of-living increase than a true raise. It's hard to convince people they should be happy when in reality they have less purchasing power than the year before.

One company I worked for gave a standard percentage cost of living increase to everyone. It was normally less than the actual cost of living increase. Raises were sperate and linked to performance. I tended to do very well on the raises but some years the company didn't give raises or cost of living to anyone. I jumped ship after two years of that. The next year business was so slow they cut hours to 32 per week for about 9 months.

[Texas by God]

Long, long ago on a HOT day…I told my barely bilingual helper that “ I need a raise”!
He made a fist and asked “How many foots”?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[john.k]

I got my last job at 50 ......pair of skinflints paid me labourers wage for a plant mechanic.........then they would make a big deal of a 50c raise .......pretty soon ,I was keeping the whole place going .and the bosses were pocketing all the money I was saving them on repairs .........they knew they would never get a mechanic on what they were paying me ,didnt make any difference .......lots of crying when I quit ,and the doors closed for good six months later.

[MrWolf]

Thinking back, I never worked anywhere for more than four years until my final job with the county government. Started my full time work around '83 and took the government at the end of 2004. Once I started complaining everyday about work it was time to leave. Government job gets their hooks in ya around years 4-6 when you realize that just sticking it out to ten years get ya something in retirement. Then it becomes getting promoted from within. All civil service jobs so education was basically the way to go and they paid for most of it.

[fatelk]

I am a plant manager. I have been in a management role for over 19 years. I have hired and fired hundreds during that time. The worst week of every year is the week we do reviews and give out more money. Somehow, any discussion of money always gets people upset. I have a handful of people who are always grateful. But unfortunately, those are few and far between the company I work for does a good job of analyzing the pay scale at least twice a year. During Covid we did it three times. Not everybody got a raise three times but we made sure we were fair and consistent.

I appreciate the comments you guys have made, but it is my experience that raise time equals gripe time!

BNE

I work in an industrial plant where I'm the senior tech. I learned years back that annual raises (in my company at least) were nothing more than an attempt at keeping up with inflation, 2-3% at best, and nothing was going to change that. Reviews are a formality, and as long as you put in good effort with a good attitude throughout the year, they're pretty pointless. We're a small crew though, and the boss is keenly aware throughout the year who does what. Back when I worked in a larger crew, for a manager who wasn't as observant, it was a bit discouraging when you saw a lazy self-promoter get ahead with the boss, while hard-working but humble types wouldn't get noticed. Over time though, it would tend to be obvious.

I have developed a respect for plant managers though. It's a tough job, and one that I wouldn't want. I was at some out of state training last year and got talking to a friend of mine who is a regional director. There's been talk that our plant manager is wanting to move on, and this director told me that he thought I should apply for the position when it came open. Nope, not me, not a chance. I've seen the stress these guys are under, the way the company chews them up and spits them out. I think it takes a certain type of personality to do well as a manager, and I just don't manage constant stress that well. It's not for me.




I've been on both sides of the table also. Performance reviews are never fun. Generally, most people are happy when they get a real raise. When the "raise" is less than inflation and the cost-of-living increases for that area it's more of a cost-of-living increase than a true raise. It's hard to convince people they should be happy when in reality they have less purchasing power than the year before.

That's exactly how it is where I work. I'm making less in real purchasing power than I was ten years ago, even though I'm far better at my job and worth far more to the company than I was back then. I've always thought that was ironic.

[farmbif]

I would be happier than a pig in mud with all the corn and turnips I could eat if I had a $1.25/hour raise. back when I was working for the man I was lucky to see a $0.25 hour raise and maybe a ham for a Christmas bonus, even after winning all those corporate awards, industry awards and letters of commendation. But they had no problem paying a new hire with no experience and little promise 3 to 4 times what my pay was because they were not the same ethnic background that I was, anyone remember affirmative action?
My advice for anyone who is dissatisfied with working for someone else. start working for yourself after your day is done working for the man and open your own business once it becomes something you can make a living at.

[Half Dog]

Nowadays a 2-1/2% increase is scoffed at when an employee sees low level managers participating in a management incentive plan. A neighbor worked for GM and a general statement was if they can get bonuses why can’t we?

[littlejack]

Back in 69, I was 18 year old and started my first welding job. I started at 3.00 per hour, and after a few months, I got my first raise of 10 cents. Wow, I thought I was in tall cotton. I stayed in the trade untill 2009 when my knees gave up. Last job, I was making 18.13 building rock crushers. Now days, the burger slingers are creeping up on that amount in some places.

[country gent]

Back around 1976 I started in my first job shop ( it was a small 2 man shop) I dont remember the wage but the Boss brought out the second check and tolkd me therees a .20 raise on this one. Eddie recommended it and I agreed. That winter when they went to Florida I was working the shop myself. When Bob and Eddie came back they saw what was done and another raise was given.
For several years before this I bailed for a neighbor custom bailing. I worked wagons. .01 a bail talk about hard work for little pay. But on the other hand the neighbor and farmers we bailed for all gave me recommendations. The other that stood out was I was going to vocational school machine trades the fall after hiring in.

A lot dont understand that even a hard rough job has benefits latter on that dont show, or stand out until later. I didnt make a lot on the first job but I learned a lot more than the pay was ever worth.

I was so proud of that .20 raise after just 2 weeks.

[john.k]

As a kid I picked strawberries and beans for a few cents an hour .........I was able to buy guns and old motorbikes with that .........first real job was IIRC about $40 a week ..$1 an hour.

[Remmy4477]

We really need a "like button"! some real great responses.

At 15 my first job was baling hay and farm upkeep. Rough, hard and at times filthy. Three hours a day after school and all day Saterday, made $50 a week. I thought I was rolling in dough then.

Sure miss those days.

[fatelk]

One thing that's really been interesting to me in recent years has been really understanding the power of inflation.

We all think back to how much things cost or how much we earned back in the day, most often without realizing the effect of inflation. For example, as a teenager back in the 1980's, I got a copy of an old gun book at a garage sale for a dime or some such, printed in 1950. In the back it had page after page of all the current guns, with photos and retail price. The one that really caught my eye was the Ruger Standard .22 pistol, with a 1950 price of $37.50. It was cool and I really wanted one. Of course that book was nearly 40 years old at that time and they cost a lot more then.

Using one of the inflation calculators available online, like this one: https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/ you can see that $37.50 in 1950 wasn't really as cheap as it seems, actually comparable to $485 now. I was just talking to my retired former boss a few days ago and in the course of conversation it came out that I had crossed a certain income mark recently. He said congrats, he worked decades to hit that mark and only crossed it himself 6 or 7 years ago. I punched a couple numbers into the inflation calculator and informed him that just six years ago, that was equivalent to almost 25% more today, so I have a long ways to go to catch up to where he was when I was working for him.

Inflation really is the most powerful form of taxation. If you buried a $100 bill in a can in your back yard twenty years ago, and dug it up now, nobody has touched it, right? Yet it's lost nearly half of its value. Where did that value go; who took it? Well, when the Fed prints fiat money, where does the value of that money come from? Yep, that's where it went.

So, when we talk about money back in the day, for example: I started my career making $16/hr, we really need to have a year reference to know what kind of dollar we're talking about. It's like foreign currency, are we talking rubles, pesos, francs, yen, rupees? A 1962 U.S. dollar is as foreign to a 2024 dollar as an Italian lira, without a conversion factor. It makes me feel good to remember that I started out a long time ago at $16/hr, and I make a lot more than that now, until I convert that $16 into 2024 dollars, and realize that I don't really make that much more. :(

[Winger Ed.]

Minimum wage sort of keeps up with inflation.

In 1970, min. wage was $1.15. At 16, I was washing dishes for $1.25 a hour.
Gas was right at the mid 30 cents a gallon.
Of what I got to keep of that $1.25, I could buy almost 3 gallons of gas.

I don't know what minimum wage is around here now days, but a entry level job at the local burger biggie
pays about $10. or there abouts per hour. Gas is floating around $3.30-ish a gallon around here now.
With that minimum sort of wage, in a hour you can still buy almost 3 gallons of gas.

However; the typical car you put it in now gets better gas mileage, has less frequent oil changes,
and doesn't need to be tuned up or worked on nearly as much as our old ones did.

[MaLar]

I remember when a buck and a quarter was what I made an hour!

[Thundarstick]

Chopping cotton with my Granddaddy as a boy, I remember him talking about working a lot of long days for a dollar a day. My first real jobs where farm work where I made $2.50 -$3.00 an hour. I went to school and started working my first trained job at $5.40 hrs. It's been long years, God blessed me. I've been working at the same job, in the same building for 43 years now, and I'm happy. I make roughly 6 times the dollar amount today, and live the relatively same lifestyle as I started. I've been told if I retire from this job, I'll be an anomaly in today's world, having worked for the same place my whole career!

On another note. Tyson foods has been catching a lot of flack for closing some old outdated processing plants, building new ones in different areas, and saying they will gladly employ legal documentation immigrants. They also offered the jobs to former employees, but of course they will have to pick up and move to a new area.

Why do you think they took us off the gold standard?

[john.k]

The only thing Ive ever made any money from is land .......I recently sold my junkyard for over a million,I bought the land in 1980 for $12,000 and included in that was tons of scrap metal and an old semi trailer I used for years.......The only people benefit from inflation is the government .

[country gent]

The buried 100 dollar bill hasnt lost value it has lost buying power. It takes more to buy the same

[justindad]

Year after year, annual raises across the country do not reach the magnitude of inflation. If you get promotions at your job, you can beat inflation over the course of your career. However, starting pay rarely increases, so the next generation effective gets paid half of what you did. I train people 15-20 years younger than me and I feel bad for them. My children will not be taking salaried desk jobs or low wage hourly jobs. My kids will not be part of this system where we are happy to just keep working, even though we get poorer and poorer every year. Pretty soon, we’ll own nothing and be happy about it (to quote C. Schwab).

[fatelk]

I've been encouraging my kids to make something of themselves, always learn and be looking for something better. I was stupid when I was young, waited for things to come to me instead of being smart about making things happen. If an employer isn't treating you right, then it's doubtful that any amount of complaining will make it much better.


Year after year, annual raises across the country do not reach the magnitude of inflation. If you get promotions at your job, you can beat inflation over the course of your career. However, starting pay rarely increases, so the next generation effective gets paid half of what you did.

There is some truth in that, especially in large corporations. I've been thinking about this lately, and typed my starting wage in my current job a dozen years ago into an inflation calculator; in real after-inflation dollars, I'm only up 5% over what I made when I was completely green. I would think I'm far more valuable now than I was back then. I also make substantially more than new hires now. On top of that, I talked to my retired former boss, who did my exact job 25 years ago. He was making substantially more (after inflation) back then. So yes, wages for my job have decreased significantly over time. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself.

What to do about it? Well, no point in complaining, that's for sure. I'm not really in a position where I can do much at all right now, but it sure is an eye-opener. For the time being I'll just keep doing my job as best I can, with an eye out for better opportunities in the future.

[35 Rem]

I grew up on a farm so all my early work didn't pay anything. Got to eat lots of good beef though since we raised angus cattle!

I see a lot of the inflation calculators and they seem to be fairly accurate for some items but not so much for others. One that doesn't seem to fit at all is what my parent's house cost. It is a ranch-style brick about 2,400 total sq ft including 2 car garage. Cost in 1967 was $12,000. Putting that into an inflation calculator generates a 2024 cost of $112,215. I'm in the early stages of building a house and I don't think you could even come close to building that house for that now.

[Big Tom]

Entitlement and being self-centered is one of the major flaws of the "younger generation". I remember 20 years ago, I worked in a smaller company with 150 employees and because of the bad economy, every single employee gave up their 3% raise to save a few colleagues from being fired because of the bad economy. I highly doubt that would happen in today's world. It is all about "me, me, me" without even trying to understand economics that drive a company to a certain raise/no raise. Solely looking at cost of living getting more expensive and expecting more money than that is what I have seen in the last 5+ years...

[georgerkahn]

The company I work for (LTL Carrier) gave us our annual May raise. $1.25 this year.

With everything going on in the world I'm just happy to be working, so the raise is welcomed.
Yet quite a few senior drivers and many of the newbies are having a fit about it. Most are saying it's not enough or we deserve better.

I've been with this company for just over 20 years now. When I started here it was $16 something.
Took me twenty years to break over $36 an hour.

I think there was six years we did not get anything raise wise. And most of the crew was ok with that, they were working. But now nothing but complaining about a buck and a quarter raise.

Most of these guys have maybe 5-8 years in the industry, I just breached 37 years in it. When I started driving in LTL the non union outfits were $5-6 an hour at best, the unions at the time were paying $12 an hour. Times have changed wage wise.

I just don't understand the complaints about a raise, the company treats us good, lots of perks and decent benefits. Since Captain Tripp's the LTL industry has been struggling to recover from all the setbacks and low freight volume. Our company mustered through it and made and are still making a profit.

Still all the complaints I've heard this last week, WOW! I just don't get it? Maybe it's just me?

Just an old guy talking! Need more coffee I guess?

I started "work" at age 13, my job cleaning dropping boards in a poultry farm, where I'd get three dollars for filling three pickup truck beds -- heaping -- with the stuff I dumped in, using bushel baskets from the dropping boards to the '49 Ford pick-up, outside. I then "graduated" to a supermarket, working my way up to be dairy department manager, and I went from 85 cents an hour up to one dollar. A few ;) jobs and years later... I had the true privilege to retire!

You wrote vis a $1.25 hourly increase. Assuming you work but 40 hours a week, that's a $50.00 weekly pay increase. Figuring the 4 1/3 average weeks per month -- that's a $216.67 monthly increase!

Once again, I'm privileged to be retired -- a lot of friends now residing in cemeteries didn't make it -- BUT if I add my Social Security retirement 2024 increase; subtract their Medicare deduction; add my other "retirement cheque"; and, finally subtract my health insurance deduction -- this gives me a MONTHLY $80.18 increase.

My $80.18 versus YOUR $216.67? Put a few pennies from your increase away... When you retire (as I did) the basic cost of living -- utilities, taxes, taxers, taxes, and fuel, insurances, etc. -- in no way keep pace.

geo

[john.k]

House prices here are insane ..(not that Im complaining) .....an old house with a fallen in roof and derelict for 15 years sells at auction for $2.4 million........A house with converted chicken sheds at the back is sold as 'rental income of $1500 a week" sells for $2.7 million...house prices around here have increased 50% since the plandemic.......nothing under $1.5 million.

[justindad]

Entitlement and being self-centered is one of the major flaws of the "younger generation". I remember 20 years ago, I worked in a smaller company with 150 employees and because of the bad economy, every single employee gave up their 3% raise to save a few colleagues from being fired because of the bad economy. I highly doubt that would happen in today's world. It is all about "me, me, me" without even trying to understand economics that drive a company to a certain raise/no raise. Solely looking at cost of living getting more expensive and expecting more money than that is what I have seen in the last 5+ years...

The younger generation will put that in the context of the exponentially increasing pay rates for corporate officers, and then consider that it can be demonstrated that there is no correlation between CEO pay and company performance. Corporate officers are chosen based on social connections more so than competence. Corruption is severe in this world, and much more so for this younger generation.
*
I once received a 10% pay cut to forgo a layoff. Everyone had 10% of their hourly pay cut, except bonuses were not touched. Later, we found out that half of the CEO’s pay was a bonus. 40% of VP pay was bonus. So they lied - the lower you were in pay, the more of a pay cut you received. Corruption is severe in this world.

[justindad]

<snip>
What to do about it? Well, no point in complaining, that's for sure. I'm not really in a position where I can do much at all right now, but it sure is an eye-opener. For the time being I'll just keep doing my job as best I can, with an eye out for better opportunities in the future.

The answer is small business. Engage in and support small business.

[Winger Ed.]

So they lied - the lower you were in pay, the more of a pay cut you received. Corruption is severe in this world.

I used to troll people when they tried to relate their pay to a high level executive's.
The way a business is structured, they aren't exactly comparable.
It's more about who is worth more to the business, and who is more replaceable.
And corruption is more related to criminal acts than business practices and realities.

Anyway-- When the young kids I worked with went on a tear about how unfair executive pay was, I'd tell 'em:
"Isn't America great? With hard work and education, you too can rise to be a evil, rich CEO. The only thing
holding you back is yourself".

Years ago, Coca-Cola was about a inch away from going broke.
They hired in a new CEO that got paid a commission on how well the company did in the future.
He was on a TV interview when the reporter asked if he thought getting paid $40,000,000.oo that year was unfair.

He told her, "No. If they could have found somebody to do what I did cheaper---- they would have".

[justindad]

If I started a business built it up to be worth millions, I would hand it off to my children. I would not look for the lowest paid CTO to take it over. Friends and cousins would also get well paid jobs. Keeping cushy jobs inside social circles is a real thing.
*
I once worked under a CTO would not promote someone to a Director level or above if they didn’t go to private school in K - 12th grade.
*
I know a very young VP who ?coincidentally? has the same last name as an older Group President in another business unit.
*
I was once told to hire someone before anyone interviewed them, because this person’s mother knew a VP in my company, from an unrelated department.
*
You might think I’m complaining, but I truly have everything I want. I know that I have exactly what GOD wants me to have. I have never met anyone who’s children exhibited more beautiful hearts than mine. I know for fact that there is more than just competition at play here. Blissful ignorance on our part will cause more and more pain for future generations.

[john.k]

I was critical to the continued functioning of the business I worked for ......both the partners knew it well,but being skinflints was so ingrained with them ,they refused to secure my further services when I told them I was quitting...........They said silly things like 'You'll be back,they always come back'.......The business folded six months after I left ,unfortunately putting 40 people out of work..........And the industry customers who relied on them had to send their work to another place 20 miles away.

[Winger Ed.]

I've seen it several times- People have a business rocking along to one degree or another where if they didn't,
they couldn't hold a job at the local gas station.

[country gent]

We had a shop here the owner built up was all big machines his brag was we can do what few others could. His band saw blades were 1 1/2" thick. Arrogant and self centered no one could be around him. If it wasnt online mail bids and emergency work hed have closed.

[Big Tom]

Well, it does not make a difference for you, but in our company me and the other C-level guys did not take our bonus payments, so we could actually pay the bonus of the rest of the organization. and no, it was not because we already made crazy base salaries. It hurt each of us financially, but it was the right thing to do... Point is, there are still good executives out there ;-)


The younger generation will put that in the context of the exponentially increasing pay rates for corporate officers, and then consider that it can be demonstrated that there is no correlation between CEO pay and company performance. Corporate officers are chosen based on social connections more so than competence. Corruption is severe in this world, and much more so for this younger generation.
*
I once received a 10% pay cut to forgo a layoff. Everyone had 10% of their hourly pay cut, except bonuses were not touched. Later, we found out that half of the CEO’s pay was a bonus. 40% of VP pay was bonus. So they lied - the lower you were in pay, the more of a pay cut you received. Corruption is severe in this world.

[Murphy]

Work, some things my father taught me.

"Never quit your job unless you have another one waiting for you"

"Don't worry about what the other guy is making, just take care of yourself"

"The man who brings home a paycheck every Friday, is the winner"

"Never, price yourself out of a job"

I spent 35 years on my last job, then retired. Debt free, 3 good vehicles, and a good home. Ain't rich, ain't poor. And that's about all I got to say about that.


Murphy

[shooterg]

I'm envious of those above that got paid for baling . Growing up on a farm, no pay for us 3 boys - maybe we were victims of child labor abuse ? lol. But we sure ate good ! Black Angus beef, country ham and sausage, homemade bread, lotsa eggs and baked goods/etc. Wouldn't trade the time for anything - but learned I did not want to be a farmer ! Did OK elsewhere - retired at 55(18 years ago) - don't even remember how much the last check was but had house and 80 acres paid for, reloading suppliesstocked and a good wife, great grandson, I'm happy as anyone has a right to be !

[dk17hmr]

Im 37 and work for a dot gov. Some of the biggest complainers about wages are 10-15 years older than me. It really comes down to they didn't save anything and thought their pensions would be enough. Now that they are only a handful of years away from retirement they are asking for advise on investing.

I have moved up rather quickly and am essentially in as high of a position that I can be in and still be able to be in the field. With each raise/promotion I have increased my investments. The dot gov agency I work for doesn't have a structured raise or cost of living increase and it's not uncommon to be 5-7 years between any sort of across the board increase. I just made myself more valuable to the department in that time and got promotions. I often tell my coworkers some days I'm over paid some days I'm underpaid but I almost never complain about my hourly rate.

[john.k]

Once you own your own house and are settled ,you are pretty stable ........young people who cant even think about buying a house,and pay half their pay in rent are permanently angry about everything........it wont end well.

[Idaho45guy]

Five years ago, my wage was pretty good for the area. Then, after the pandemic, Bidenomics, a flood of Californians moving in, and inflation, I am near the bottom of the economic scale. Minimum wage around here is now around $16 an hour and houses cost an average of $450k. Just to maintain my previous buying power, I would need around a $10 an hour raise.