I asked a manager for a raise once because I got a job offer at another company for easier work and higher pay.
I do commercial tires for a living, I learned the business from my father when I was a kid. I didn't like the work so I left the industry for about 7 years then eventually came back to it in 2018. I was a bit rusty so I asked to work at the “pad” until I got into the swing of things, and since I was rusty I decided to accept their offer of $22/hr. Eventually I got back into form and so I was out doing service calls, as well as after-hours emergency road service work. About two months in I asked if I could learn how to use the hydraulic press they had to do forklift tires and they said sure, they also asked me if I wanted to do OTR work (Off The Road, this is the big ass tires like on loaders, blades, and other construction equipment) I said sure, I will learn whatever they have to teach. After working there for 9 months I was doing truck tires, OTR, and solids (with the hydraulic press) every other tech refused to learn more than what they already knew coming in because jobs like OTR can be dangerous and a bit time consuming. I didn't mind it if it meant that I could get work experience I could either use to get a raise here or take with me elsewhere.
At about 9 months of working at this shop my Uncle called me up telling me another shop nearby was hiring someone to service a few of their fleets and that the work was super easy. I asked him how much they paid and he said it was $27/hr, but since it was second shift that I would get a differential that boosted me up to about $30/hr. I was down. The work was all wheel swings, that means all my tires are already mounted up and aired up, if I find a vehicle with a flat or bad tire all I have to do is unbolt the old assembly and put the new one on. Most of the hard work like dismounting, mounting, flat repairs, and balance were done at the shop by other techs, while all I had to do was ensure the fleets never had bad tires on, this is some of the easiest work I have ever done. I say sure, I am interested and secure an interview with the shop. The new shopped liked me because I have a ton of experience (been doing tires since I was 11) and because I know how to do several types of tires so they offer me a job.
I liked the shop I was working at so I went and gave them a chance to give me a higher offer, I told them the new shop was paying $30, and if they could match I would stay since I liked working there. The regional manager met with me and told me if I was willing to work overtime then I could make the same with them as I would with the new shop, no raise needed. I told the RM that the goal was to spend less time at work and make the same amount of money if not more. He said that I was not able to get a raise because I was only there for 9 months, I told him I was the only one willing to learn new skills and do jobs the other techs didn't want to touch. I reminded him that before me they had to bring in techs from outside the area in order to do their OTR work which cost the company more in fuel and upkeep, not to mention overtime for those outside techs that often had to start earlier in the day to make it to the jobs in our area on time. He said that if I stayed one year I could get to $25/hr and I said “Or..I could just leave and make $30/hr now” I also mentioned that the new shop was Union and offered a great retirement plan which this company did not, and I pointed out that the company had already lost some of its customers to this other company.
He did not budge stating that with my experience $25 was the most I was going to get so I said “cool, next friday is my last day” and I quit. Turns out that two other guys had also found easier higher paying jobs in the area, and they left without notice. Suddenly they could afford to offer new OTR techs $30/hr and other techs $25/hr. Not like it mattered, they let half their staff go at the start of COVID. I got busier with COVID at the new shop, and I got a raise.