Beat the Streak (not the MLB game)

These are some sad fucking-ass stories.

 

I went about seven years without getting a raise before bailing to the dark side almost two years ago.

I'm guessing some of my former employees have now gone nine or 10 years without a bump.

 

Of course, there are many ways to be hurt financially besides cutting/freezing your salary or hourly pay rate.

At my previous shop, it went something like this: when the recession hit full-bore in 2008, not only did they cut some positions, they eventually eliminated the company "subsidy" that paid for part of our insurance.

I left before the new insurance rate took effect, but as someone who had the whole family on the plan, it was going to cost me about $170/month more for health insurance.

That's just as bad as a pay cut — and actually was worse, because employees who weren't on the company insurance weren't affected. Here you go, newsroom, have a li'l more division among the ranks ...

 

What bothers me is the company executives do not care. I mean this is disgusting, cheap, outlandish, cheap, ridiculous, putrid, behavior. Why the hell doesn't somebody somewhere write a story about this. It would be an EXCELLENT piece, maybe even Pulitzer worthy to tell the world about "Journalism" and the fact what you sign on for is what you get the rest of your career salary wise. It is disgusting and worthy of an expose. To ask the higher ups to explain not giving their employees a cent more than they made 10 years ago. Again ... to you higher ups who read this Website, I realize you do not care that you have not given employees an extra cent in 10 years despite exceptional work of said employees. You don't care and that's fine. But just know you are what is wrong with America today and I pray somebody writes a story somewhere exposing this!! "BUT YOU ARE LUCKY TO HAVE A JOB!" Yes and Mr/Ms Publisher YOU ARE LUCKY TO HAVE RECEIVED TOP QUALITY WORK (despite the fact you'd rather have unpaid interns and citizen journalists do the work).

 

DONT ask for the raise. They know darn well you haven't had a raise in forever and THEY DO NOT CARE. Either get out or just take the same salary. Don't ask for a raise. You won't get one. Cause ya know, you are lucky to have a job.

 

No, that would require me to care enough to get upset over the bullshit. I'm so burned out that it doesn't even make me mad anymore. I'm just going back to college.

 

Like ending the company donation to the 401(k) plan. "Not only are we going to keep you in poverty while you're working, we're going to do it when you retire as well!"

 

Why isn't Frederick the clubhouse leader?

 

Stuck around because I really didn't have a lot of great options. That natural go from a mid-sized daily to a small metro pipeline really dried up toward the end of my newsie days. I was seriously considering quitting and working in beer distribution before my current job came open.

 

If you don't count the bump in pay I got when I changed jobs, my last actual pay raise was January of 2008

 

Well, part of it, from my experience at least, is that we're all hobos with a keyboard. In my situation, it seems like company policy is not to give raises because no one sticks around long enough to get antsy for one. They expect positions to turn over within two years, so why even consider raises as part of the budget?
I've been at my small paper for a long time for a number of reasons. Don't want to move, don't want to nuke my career and start over, have genuinely liked it from time to time, etc. Honestly, I don't have a burning desire to leave because of the major life changes that would ensue. More and more, though, it feels like the people in charge view that as a character flaw instead of as an asset.

 

Not to go on a political rant but if your paper does this, you still aren't eligible for Obamacare because you are still offered insurance. The subsidy only kicks in if the price for *SINGLE* coverage exceeds whatever the threshold is. Doesn't matter if a family plan cost half your income.