Salaries are a funny thing
You aren’t allowed to disclose them.
You wonder about them with other people.
I mean everybody wonders what the goldfish makes.
And I don’t know much but I know enough that really kickass people aren’t making much more. And that bugs the fuck out of me.
I used to worry about what my peers made. Male and female. Because if you know what YOUR load and schedule looks like, and if their dance card actually allows them time to dance (i.e., vacation, days off, leaving before nightfall, not as many weekend hours), that ain’t right.
But then when you get to be in charge of people, and you lean on the bright ones heavily, you wonder about the potential unfairness of it all.
I have a friend. We were chatting yesterday. She said that the only way to know if there is equality is if people are talking about it.
That’s not a new revelation. I’m sure Sheryl Sandberg or someone equally influential said it recently too. I remember it; just not from where.
But what my friend — who’s all of 23 years old — said was interesting.
She said it was one thing when women weren’t the breadwinners. Now we’re all single and taking care of kids and parents and waiting for Prince Charming to propose. If he exists and isn’t a momma’s boy/narcissist/pedophile/rapist/serial murderer.
It’s Florida, man. LOOK IT UP. It’s scary out here.
So people should feel ashamed of themselves for not only paying idiots well, but for paying men better than women who are clearly outperforming them.
I’ve been told it’s sexist to say these things as a supervisor. And believe me, I’ve seen work ethics of all kinds. But I will say this about the minimum-wage set.
It was hard when I worked for minimum wage ($3.80 an hour was my starting point). I had three jobs. I was in school. I was a caffeinated, sleep-deprived mess.
But while I agree a living wage is necessary, I don’t think most people are worth that $15 an hour.
I don’t think some people in my own industry deserve $15 an hour.
That’s too damn much for what they produce.
Meanwhile I do see people hauling ass and being awesome and being grateful for whatever they get. They don’t rock the proverbial boat. They are lucky to be able to afford the payments on that little boat. Maybe even have enough left over to put gas in it or plug the holes in it.
Meanwhile your Chief Ice Cube makers are doing just fine. And putting a huge strain on the best of us without hazard pay or at least a cookie to thank us for not killing them.
I hate the world right now.