Well Vesta, number 1, NO bodacious 18 year old would make more than me(unless she was screwing a manager, don't be surprised, it has, and does happen). I wouldn't know anyway, because I would not ask, AND if she was bragging about how much she was making, she would be subject for termination.
NO FAIR I yelled in the 1960'ies when hired the same day as a man, why is he making more then me??? Well I was told, the male had a family to support, really ???? What about the woman who were not married but raising a child??? Woman I was told were going to get married some time down the line and their husbands would support them. Woman were not allowed to work overtime, if pregnant they had to leave in their 8 month pf pregnancy. [BTW] My company required me to go to a company doctor for an exam to insure I was not pregnant before hire. Sylvania , company policy in the mid 1960'ies.
This law, State law was changed about 3-4 years later due to equal work equal pay laws. Discrimination laws etc. Soon to become Federal Law.
Strange to look back on those days, woman just excepted the company policy without question---I found in some stuff a pay receipt, after 40 hours of work with the deductions for taxes and health insurance I brought home $50.00 a week.
My last job would post openings for employees and the rate of pay to start as a trainee. Everyone would put in for that job and the one selected would have 3 months to either be able to accept the training or if not go back to their former job and pay scale. Competition was fierce and seniority was a big factor. The more seniority one had the better chance to advance unless there was an opening in the Office and those with experience in accounting was a big factor.
There was no jealousy anywhere, if a coworker moved on up we all were happy for them, we knew that sometime soon this could be us, we all had a chance to advance. We all started out as equal and knew that advancement meant we had to rely on hard work and past job skills. We knew we could go as far as we were willing to work for. IT WAS UP TO US ON HOW FAR WE COULD GO AND THE COMPANY GAVE US ALL A FAIR CHANCE TO ADVANCE OR NOT.
All people began work at the lowest pay scale, the workers that had could become a benefit to the compay and wanted to gain an education, the Company would pay for their college education as long as they kept a B in all subjects, in the early 2000 if you bought a PC on time, the company would pay off the PC saving you the interest and deduct the price for the PC from your pay check. Besides bonuses twice a year based on your pay scale, we now had a 401k, a Company nurse that worked with the employees and was available when they had a question on health, prescriptions and was the one to go to if a week of light duty due to injury at the plant was required.
Is it any wonder I was a very loyal employee for 22 years ???
Today this company has grown sky high, gone through the roof, The bonuses each year for the lowest paid worker are over $1,000 a year, the majority of workers have been there 20 years and show up on time, work their ass off and are super loyal to the company.
There is nothing hidden about how the company operates, everyone knows what each other worker makes and if they want to make more money---they just work harder.
