So for a long time I've been shaking my head at posts talking about people receiving pizza parties instead of raises. People deserve a wage that matches cost of living, not to eat one cheap meal vs all the labor we produce for these greedy CEOs. I thought, glad I'm not in that position were my managers try to pull the wool over my eyes with that type of meaningless gesture… Boy was I wrong.. .
I work for a decent sized company with a lot of good people. There's drama, but nothing too bad. I've been working here for about a year with no raise despite being a top performer. Last night I finally decided to swallow my pride and apply for food stamps for me and my kid. I'm struggling to make it, like a lot of us are. My job is no where close to living wages. I fight to pay my bills and I have to live with a room mate who is in the same boat.
This morning I got into work to discover a “thank you” package sitting in my work area. In it there was a bunch of random things like granola bars, candy, and water flavoring. Other stuff that pretty much went strait into the trash.
I do three times as much as other peers in my working area. I've worked close to a year with no raise. I can't afford to live alone and my cost of living budget is as tight as a noose around my neck.
Pay me a living wage. Dont drop junk at my feet and say good job. Fucking pay me. Give me the cash it took to make your little grab bag of junk. Stop expecting us to be grateful for stuff you'd find in a glovebox and start rewarding your workers with a livable wage!
Anyways, thanks for reading this little story I'd thought I'd share. Sad thing is that, posting this, I worry that it'll get back to my managers and there will be repercussion. I think either way this has inspired me to kick rocks down the road and find better opportunities. We live in a fucked up dystopia. Be kind to yourself.