Any Human resources peeps here? Questions

**knightryda01** · 02-05-2014, 05:59 PM

I've been looking online and can't seem to find answers on how companies do wage and benefit surveys. Do these surveys take into account workers time on job etc.

Reason I am asking the shop I work in now has a 2 tier wage system. A few years ago they decided to screw a select group of employees (myself Included) When we walked into a new building. See we retained our corporate seniority but lost all plant seniority. SO even though we have been working for the company longer we are still the new kids of the block. We kept all of our vacation time etc, just lost out on the pay.

So It turns out that I have more time on a job then another guy, yet I am making less money ($2.00 less per hour and doing the same job.)

Now I've been reviewing the company guidelines regarding wage and benefit surveys and by their own description we are not being compensated fairly.

Looking for ways to address this without looking like a total ass. I also might add that that many people spoke up on the issue but nothing ever happened.

**raynor139** · 02-05-2014, 06:32 PM

So many things can affect this its not even funny. Anything from volume, size of contracts, factory out put, is the buildings located in the same areas/land, number of employees, are they set up under the exact same entity or is both run by a larger company. If your union were there seperate contracts negotiated for each unit. There are lots of things here that can influence the pay. The best way to find out is talk to someone in your companies HR department if you trust them.

My company has 4 different pay scales probably more I dont know about. Biggest influence in my pay scale is location and volume of said location.
Just in my part of the company we are based on one pay scale but 3 locations in my area can vary as much as 10 grand for managers a year since volumes are so different.

As someone who deals alot with HR concerns with my employees I can tell you how you approach it will determine how up front and honest they are with you. If someone comes in my office demanding to know why something is the way it is im going to quote company policy and leave it at that. Come in my office asking and giving good reasons why they have this question and I will investigate and tell them what I can. Another thing here is what is your companies policy on discussing pay amongst employees. Some are very strict on this.

**0rion** · 02-05-2014, 07:03 PM

I can tell you how Coca-Cola handles something similar to this. There was a girl that was ahead of me in seniority by 6 months or so. She quit to help her husband out in the family business for a year or two. When she came back she kept her company seniority but lost her plant seniority to me. Pretty similar thing. I'm looking at it from the point of view of the people already at that place before you got there....I don't care how long you've been with the company you shouldn't have seniority over someone under that roof. Sounds like your company is handling it correctly.

**knightryda01** · 02-06-2014, 01:37 AM

Dont Care About Senority. I Just Want Equal Pay For Equal Work.

**0rion** · 02-06-2014, 05:43 AM

are you union? If not then equal pay for equal work isn't always going to happen. If you are union then it's something you let your reps handle. Companies will hire at a pay rate depending on what the market calls for. If there's a shortage of qualified people for the job then they will offer more money....if there's a surplus of people then they will pay less.

**GTP231** · 02-09-2014, 05:55 AM

When you say more time on the job. Do you mean company wise or in that plant?

**Too Fast** · 02-09-2014, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by knightryda01

Dont Care About Senority. I Just Want Equal Pay For Equal Work.

Uhhhh, senority matters.

**knightryda01** · 02-09-2014, 04:20 PM

NOt Union. Seems To Be Another ReaSon Daily To Want One But ThEy Would Just Shut The Doors.

I Have More Corporate time Time. They Talk About Plant Senority. Its Funny Because When It Comes To Layoffs N Such They Can SWitch To Skill And Ability So Senority Dont Matter. There Is Not Much By Guidelines Because They Change Them Whenever ThEy Want. Im One Of The Lucky Guys Who AlWays WorKs.

At THe End Of They Day I Just Dont Feel Like I Should Make Less Money Then Someone Else With My Same Job Title With Less Experience Then me.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 02-09-2014, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by knightryda01

NOt Union. Seems To Be Another ReaSon Daily To Want One But ThEy Would Just Shut The Doors.

I Have More Corporate time Time. They Talk About Plant Senority. Its Funny Because When It Comes To Layoffs N Such They Can SWitch To Skill And Ability So Senority Dont Matter. There Is Not Much By Guidelines Because They Change Them Whenever ThEy Want. Im One Of The Lucky Guys Who AlWays WorKs.

At THe End Of They Day I Just Dont Feel Like I Should Make Less Money Then Someone Else With My Same Job Title With Less Experience Then me.

Did You Deliberately Type Like This? If so, I would pay you less because it would probably take you 3 hrs to do a 30 minute job lol.

**knightryda01** · 02-10-2014, 12:57 AM

My Phone Has Issues.

**0rion** · 02-10-2014, 01:47 AM

Originally Posted by knightryda01

NOt Union. Seems To Be Another ReaSon Daily To Want One But ThEy Would Just Shut The Doors.

I Have More Corporate time Time. They Talk About Plant Senority. Its Funny Because When It Comes To Layoffs N Such They Can SWitch To Skill And Ability So Senority Dont Matter. There Is Not Much By Guidelines Because They Change Them Whenever ThEy Want. Im One Of The Lucky Guys Who AlWays WorKs.

At THe End Of They Day I Just Dont Feel Like I Should Make Less Money Then Someone Else With My Same Job Title With Less Experience Then me.

hate to hear that. Sounds like you just work for a shitty company. Your complaints are the very reason unions were started. I'm not a huge fan of unions myself.....I've been in a couple in my lifetime and a union has never really benefited me one way or the other. They do however serve a purpose in certain situations and it sounds like you're in one. Unfortunately though it sounds like there's not much you can do without one except leave. I will tell you that life is too short to spend years working at a place you're unhappy at. You will only get more and more bitter about the situation until it starts to effect your life outside of work and the people around you. I've seen it happen to people several times. It's like a cancer. My advice would be to keep quiet about it as much as you can and just start sending resume's to other companies. Since you have a steady income you're in no hurry and in a pretty good position really. Shoot high. Start sending out resume's to dream jobs and just see what comes from it. It can't hurt.

**CJREX** · 02-10-2014, 02:55 AM

At the end of the day, it comes down to the fact that you agreed to do XX job for XX dollars when you were hired. It's a binding contract between you and the employer, binding in that they agreed to pay you XX dollars to perform the job they assigned to you.

This is why companies are so adamant that employees don't know what other employees are making. Each employee has their own contract and it's between them and the employer, no one else needs to know since the knowledge will neither improve worker performance nor morale.

So, the question is, are they paying you the amount you agreed to for performing the job? If so, you have no argument.

While it may be upsetting to Joe that Carl makes more for doing the same job, it's really none of Joe's business.

In a Union shop the complaint would be that while Carl makes the same as Joe, Carl slacks off all day while Joe works his rear off and therefore should be paid more.

**knightryda01** · 02-10-2014, 04:47 AM

I HeAr You. Hate To Start Over Though. Just Wish They would Do Right By Us.

**knightryda01** · 02-10-2014, 04:51 AM

I Never Agreed To Take A Paycut. It Was That Or No Job. Like I Said I Dont Get LAid Off. They Always Look For Me To Work Over Other Employees. It Was A Certain Group Of Us that Got Screwed. Not Just Me. I Bust My Ass. Sad Thing Is Ive Made More Money The Last Few Years Then I Ever Did Before THe Paycut.

JObs Are Not Exactly Easy To Come By NowdAys.

**Too Fast** · 02-11-2014, 03:19 PM

It MaKEs IT Very HarD To Read ThIs.

Sorry about the phone issue, but it's making me lol.

I used to be way against unions. Now I'm starting to favor them. Seems like the union thing went way too far in the 70s and 80s, costing compaines too much $$$. Now, it seems like unions are not a horrible idea, as long as the gains don't bankrupt the company or make it uncompetitive.

**knightryda01** · 02-12-2014, 01:16 AM

My Thing Is Its Not Even About The Money With Unions. Fair TreaTment Is A Big Issue. Giving Workers A Voice In There Job They Do Daily. Thats Important, I Could Go on.

Ford Workers Are GettiNg $8800 In Profit Sharing. You Dont Hear The NOn.uniOn Guys Bragging AbOut Their Profit SHaring Checks. If They Even Get one.

My Thing Is Take Care Of The People Who Make Your Company Money. Bottom Line. I MeAn Take Care Of Them By Paying A Wage And Benefits So theY Dont Rely On The Gov Assistance. Etc

**knightryda01** · 02-12-2014, 01:21 AM

Our Workers Have Not Gotten A Raise In 6 Years. Not To Mention The Group Who Got A Paycut.

They Still Hook Up Management And Waste Money LIke Crazy. Our Saying Around There Is They Step Over Quarters To Pick Up Nickels Every Day.

**raynor139** · 02-12-2014, 07:03 AM

That is just a poorly run company from the sound of it but then again you choose to stay and as long as people arent walking out on a regular basis making staffing difficult and quality drop they have no reason to improve and probably won't.

We had a pay situation like this last year. We were losing part time employees just as quick as were hiring them. All of a sudden the company gives everyone a raise right before the holidays due to cost of living. My boss and I started asking what promoted this and they said alot of employee exit surveys said pay was the main reason for leaving.

Once training and down time/quality started costing the company money they payed attention.

**Kyle C** · 02-12-2014, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by knightryda01

Our Workers Have Not Gotten A Raise In 6 Years. Not To Mention The Group Who Got A Paycut.

What happened 6 years ago????

**theorangeguy** · 02-13-2014, 04:36 AM

I just got promoted yesterday with no raise...welcome to the recovery dude and join the club

Practices like these have become business as usual...when its an employee's market you are in much more control of what you make and where you can work...when its an employer's market "like it is now" they can pretty much do what they want "within the law" and if you dont like it you have limited options due to the lack of positions available in the job market.

Dont get too mad about it because you really are not alone in this situation...millions of people are dealing with the same thing if not worse every day.