primitive seeks more money for friend

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=362x663

djohnson  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Sun May-18-08 04:27 PM
Original message

What to do when someone's underpaid?
   
I have a "friend" who I am a little concerned about. All his life he's considered money of secondary importance. His work is what he always cared about, more than his paycheck. As a result, he's become highly skilled, and accomplishes things no other employee in his position has ever done. That's fine. He's not complaining about how much he makes, per se.

The problem is, when the company became more successful, they needed more people, and what they ended up doing was hiring a coworker who was less skilled and less concerned about the work, but since the new guy is driven simply by the desire for a high paycheck, he manages to ask, and get, more money.

Now, my friend was happy working for, let's say, half of what others get for the same work. The only problem is that he seems sort of taken advantage and clearly demoralized.

Sure, he could ask for more money, but he feels what he's getting paid is fair. Others are taking advantage of the employment environment by asking for more than what they deserve, really. I know, I know, capitalism means getting the most you can get, right? But it's just not in his personality. He's believes in an honest days work for an honest days pay -- he's just not a supply sider.

He feels that it's great to earn a lot of money, but he wants to really earn it, not just manipulate the system, as he sees it.

So, it seems he has two choices: A) Change his thinking and seek more money, or B) listen to his new coworker talk about all his money and be fine with it.

Are there any other options?

Wow.  franksolich has a twin somewhere, the "friend" of the Johnson's Baby Aspirin primitive.

franksolich, a supply-sider, has no idea why he is the way he is, but there you have it.

Nikia  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Sat Jun-07-08 11:48 AM
Response to Original message

1. He should not feel like he is manipulating the system
   
If he asks for more money at a company where others who do the equivalent or less work make a significant amount more than him. It suggests that his company values its employees, that particuliar job, and/or those particuliar skills.

He should not blame other employees who make more than him, especially new ones, because perhaps they would not have wanted to work at that company if they were not offered the higher amount.

He should mention to the appropriate person at an appropriate time what he has accomplished and that he thinks that he should be compensated appropriately.

If he does not get more money, he should seek employment elsewhere. Chances are that if he really is only making half of what others in his position are making that he would be able to get more money than he is currently making at another company as a first offer.

I dunno.  It's hard to tell what "drives" the Johnson's Baby Aspirin primitive's friend, and franksolich, but one suspects it's not a good idea for outsiders to tamper.

djohnson  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Sat Jun-14-08 03:54 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. I tried to tell him he'd make more money being a panhandler.
   
Panhandlers make $200 in an hour sometimes I hear. Obviously people value their work more.

Should everyone just follow the money in life? There is much more to be made in selling interest only mortgages or being a 'contractor' overseas.

Or how about highway robbery, setup a filling station in the middle of nowhere and sell gas for $200 an gallon or a belt for $1k.

Or in the case of a technical position, learn one piece of information an employer might not know, and charge incredible sums of money for it.

These approaches are not ethical, IMO, although I know some people are fine with it and think it's grand!

But I guess these are the type of people who have all the money today.

Sorry, I don't think lack of understanding of how Capitalism works is the problem. I tried to make the point that 'earning' the money is important to some. Most people have the mental capacity to -understand- capitalism, it just takes a certain type of person to squeeze it for all its worth. We are living in an economy where ones accomplishment means nothing and this is why.

[Chris_]

Sorry, I don't think lack of understanding of how Capitalism works is the problem. I tried to make the point that 'earning' the money is important to some. Most people have the mental capacity to -understand- capitalism, it just takes a certain type of person to squeeze it for all its worth. We are living in an economy where ones accomplishment means nothing and this is why.

What a dink.  If the market doesn't decide how much your effort is worth, who does? You?  Me?  I get to decide how "important" my efforts are?

Note the complete lack of specificity on what this alleged friend does.

It is quite the stretchy IMO.

[Lacarnut]

The friend could either not know what he is talking about or is prejudice. Naw, a dummie would not do that.

[Carl]

djohnson  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Sun May-18-08 04:27 PM
Original message

What to do when someone's underpaid?
   
I have a "friend" who I am a little concerned about. All his life he's considered money of secondary importance. His work is what he always cared about, more than his paycheck. As a result, he's become highly skilled, and accomplishes things no other employee in his position has ever done. That's fine. He's not complaining about how much he makes, per se.

The problem is, when the company became more successful, they needed more people, and what they ended up doing was hiring a coworker who was less skilled and less concerned about the work, but since the new guy is driven simply by the desire for a high paycheck, he manages to ask, and get, more money.

Now, my friend was happy working for, let's say, half of what others get for the same work. The only problem is that he seems sort of taken advantage and clearly demoralized.

Sure, he could ask for more money, but he feels what he's getting paid is fair. Others are taking advantage of the employment environment by asking for more than what they deserve, really. I know, I know, capitalism means getting the most you can get, right? But it's just not in his personality. He's believes in an honest days work for an honest days pay -- he's just not a supply sider.

He feels that it's great to earn a lot of money, but he wants to really earn it, not just manipulate the system, as he sees it.

So, it seems he has two choices: A) Change his thinking and seek more money, or B) listen to his new coworker talk about all his money and be fine with it.

Are there any other options?

How about being honest failed johnson and admit that you have been surpassed at work by someone who has more skills and drive then you.

If there were a real grievance about the coworkers conduct you would have spelled it out and set yourself apart as a better man/woman.

[LC EFA]

Now, my friend was happy working for, let's say, half of what others get for the same work. The only problem is that he seems sort of taken advantage and clearly demoralized.

Lemme get this straight .. Your friend is HAPPY working for less than HALF what others get for the same work. HALF ? And he's HAPPY ??? .....

 

IDIOT !

[dandi]

He feels that it's great to earn a lot of money, but he wants to really earn it, not just manipulate the system, as he sees it.

Hey asshole, if an employer is voluntarily paying you for work he or she finds valuable and you're doing your best at the job, then you've earned it no matter how much or how little it is. (I keep hearing John Houseman's voice from that old Smith Barney commercial: "We make money the old fashioned way. We UUHHN it.") Now of course if you're a union employee, things may be a tad different.

Geez, if you feel that freakin' guilty over your lack of effort, sneak over to your boss' house when he's away and mow his lawn or something.

[vlad335]

Two things...

The OP is the "friend" that he is referring to in his post. DUmmies are never, "highly skilled, and accomplish things no other employee in his position has ever done." All the lefties I know are lazy and must be coherced to do even the simplest tasks. On the other hand, he could be this "friend" who is making half what his co-workers do and deservidly so.

The other thing is the story was completely made up to cement the OP's bonafides for communism group think. You know, start the ball rolling for people to come to the conclusion that capitalism is inherently evil and runs over hard working, quiet people. They try to think these scenarios up all the time.

Whatever the case, the post is predicated on a lie. Well, well, well... Say it aint so.

[Tucker]

I think that the OP is obsessed with his own product, Dr. Johnsons emotion lotion. Now he's going blind, can't work and relizes he's broke.