[thirtypointer]

Just curious how you other wage earners are doing. My governor here (Wisconsin) thinks I have it made because I work for the government and I am in a union. If you work for a living, when was the last time you got a salary increase and how much was it percentage wise?

My last one was in Janurary 2009 and it was 2% plus we kicked in to additonal health insurance co-pays and an increase in paying for a portion of the premium.

Anyone else?


.

[65WJ]

I work for family and my last raise was in 2000
I have had 1 week vacation (march 2007) the last 4 years. No benifits, no retirement plan, just a pay check. WHY do I do this to myself?

patrick

[mechanic17]

September 2004. Have gone from contract to contract job since, doing the same thing each time, and my salary is now $3000 less per annum than it was then. And how much has inflation increased?

First generation to be poorer than our parents.

[Bob Rutledge]

I don't think your Governor thinks you have it made. I haven't had a raise in years, and have been laid off a few times since 2000. It hasn't been fun in the IT business for a while. I do believe your Governor is trying to make some headway to meet a budget, at least that is what the news tells us. Hopefully he can also get into some entitlement spending cuts as well. But hey, if your state Democratic Senators show up to work and vote, hopefully you will be one of the ones spared from the axe. I wish you the best.

[bird72]

Going on 3 years no raise. I think anyone who thinks raises are part of the last couple of years economic world, or the next couple of years for that matter, needs to reevaluate. Feel blessed to work and hope for an upturn in 2 or 3 years. It is pure hunker down times. And I pay more for insurance each year, my employer less, so I in fact have gotten reduced pay, somewhat. Don't like it, but it just is.

[sleepy]

Can't speak to that for me as I own the business. My wife however got a 1% raise Jan 09, has to pay half the cost of our health insurance and IF she wants to join the company retirement they will match up to $2,000 a year for a 401K.
My drivers get the same deal from me.
Why do you union folks think you are entitled to free health insurance,automatic raises(whether your worth a sh!t in your job or not),union protection for worthless workers and think the company(or state) should save money for your retirement? Don't you think YOU should plan for the future?

[mviker]

I'm in IT also. Just glad to have a job these days. Don't have the luxury of discussing raises. We cover our own 401K and healthcare as well.

[Old Man Taylor]

Although I retired in January of 2009, my last raise was in 1997. It was about 3%. I was in computer engineering and manufacturing.

[thirtypointer]

"Why do you union folks think you are entitled to free health insurance,automatic raises(whether your worth a sh!t in your job or not),union protection for worthless workers and think the company(or state) should save money for your retirement? Don't you think YOU should plan for the future?[/QUOTE]"

Is this your rubber stamp attack on me because I am in a union? How original? I have never gotten anything free at work. Anything I have benefit wise (insurance, retirement) is compensation for working. I was only looking for an answer to my raise question.

[Bob Rutledge]

BTW, Thirtypointer, I don't want to seem like I was coming down on you, but there are a ton of people in the same boat, but a bunch are worse off. I would hate it if my boss came to me and said he would have to reach into my pockets to help pay for my health care and retirement, and whatever else, but times are tough and most people are hurting. I was making 62k a year with Delta back in 99. Didn't pay a penny for health care, no co-pays, great matching 401k, and a retirement. 12 years later I am making 65k a year, paying for health care, along with co-pays, still have a decent matching 401k which is doing ok now, and have to pitch in for retirement benefits, unlike with Delta. So yea, with the rising costs of everything, along with the other stuff I have to pay, I am bringing home a lot less than I used to. We all have to tough it out, make good calls by electing the people we think will work for us, but until lately with the tea party uprising, it has been pick the lesser of 2 evils. I wish everybody in the working sector good luck, as I don't see things getting better any time soon.

[sleepy]

What would happen to anyone who didn't show up for work for two weeks or more? Do you think that should be considered a voluntary quit?

[Brian Baker]

Economy is in the crapper, and most everyone is hurting, but...union employees, both public and private sector, seem to be doing better than most. Not a slam, just fact.

[Formula8]

It will be very interesting to see where people take this thread. To address the OP's question, I ended up with a 1.5% increase last year. Sounds great and all but due to staffing cutbacks, I had to take on roughly 50% more work that results in me being up till midnight doing work. I figure I have needed to add about 3-4 hours to my day so in some respect, that is a huge pay cut out of my pocket that went straight into the bottom line of my company (who BTW is making record profits). IMO, that is what is occuring and why worker productivity is very high right now.

My bigger concern is that we appear to be engaged in a race to the bottom mentality that essentially says, "I'm getting screwed so why shouldn't you" and the net effect is putting all workers against each other for who will work for less compensation while companies are making record profits. I suppose the end game to that is we eventually end up competing with the likes of North Korea for who can work for less while the people that run our companies sacrifice little and enjoy the benefits as people that work fight amoung themselves for the scraps.

Of course, that is somewhat the nature of competition and that is baked into the American DNA but so is a sense of balance and fairness.

[69goatboy]

2-1/2% a year and a half ago. That one capped me at the maximum, now I get a lump sum of what a raise would be each year.

[rohrt]

took a 10% cut for half the year in 2009
Got the 10% back in 2010
Got a 2% increass for 2011

With Health insurance going up every year I havn't seen it increase the take home pay. Still glade to have a job though.

[Bob Rutledge]

Formula8, I am glad to hear your company is making record profits. I believe that is far from the norm for most, as a ton of companies are struggling just to keep the doors open, and a bunch more haven't made the cut and have fallen.

[Jurassicgto]

The Governor doesn't pay you, the taxpayers pay you. And they have all taken paycuts over the last few years and now it's your turn. Feel lucky your not getting a 10% paycut or work hour cut my friend. Not trying to be mean, just a harsh dose of reality.

[sleepy]

Originally Posted by thirtypointer

"Why do you union folks think you are entitled to free health insurance,automatic raises(whether your worth a sh!t in your job or not),union protection for worthless workers and think the company(or state) should save money for your retirement? Don't you think YOU should plan for the future?

"

Is this your rubber stamp attack on me because I am in a union? How original? I have never gotten anything free at work. Anything I have benefit wise (insurance, retirement) is compensation for working. I was only looking for an answer to my raise question.[/QUOTE]

Is that your rubber stamp union response? You work for the state/county/city NOT a "for profit" corporation. There shouldn't even be a union for PUBLIC workers.

Tell us. What would you do if your family spent more than they take in? Go to everyone in the town you live in and at gun point demand some of the money they didn't spend(that's what taxes are)?
Or would you cut back on what you spend?

[68gtoMN]

The best way to ensure your future success is to MAKE IT yourself. Make your future. I work for myself as an independent contractor helping companies grow and prosper as a Sr. Project Manager. 2007 - measurable raise. 2008 - measurable raise. 2009 - measurable cut. 2nd half 2010 - modest raise (5%). 2011 - measurable raise.

Jobs or work is not easy. The environment is struggling. Get yourself more skills to allow you to work in other areas. Just because you have done something in the past does not mean you will do it in the future. in 2004 I was employed as Sr. Mgmt at Best Buy HQ. I loved my job and the benefits were great. I went my own way in 2005-2006 and struggled after taking a huge cut. I worked on improving my marketable skills and took an opportunity that paid less than I wanted (still ok), but did so to get started.

Make your own future... Good luck!

[buds56]

Same job over 20 yrs running a shop for a construction co.

1990 6 guys in the shop, 2 mechs 4 drivers, 50+ hrs a wk,full insurance,profit sharing.

2001 4 guys 2 mechs 2 drivers,40hr no overtime (= 20% cut),profit share gone,401k started, up to $500 match,$10 a wk towards ins.

2003-2007 1-3% cost of living adjustments

2008 3 guys 1 mech 2 drivers, decent raise 5%, when my main guy retired, he wasn't replaced,finally got back to 2000 salary level

2010 3 of us, my 2 tk drivers get ot, no raise, still have 401k,but no match, insurance $100 wk,doing pretty good, I have a lot more responsibility, but feel fortunate at 50 not looking for a job