So this all started a couple years ago. I was working in the kitchen of a high end restaurant.
I worked with the sous-chef before and he really wanted me to come work for him again.
I negotiated with the manager about my salary and because I was backed by the sous-chef I got myself a pay that was somewhat above average.
As we shook hands and signed the contract the manager let slip that it would be great if I didn’t discuss my wage with my co-workers. Immediately, alarm bells rang in my head. I told him that I was not gonna lie when asked questions.
So my first course of action was seeing how much everybody else earned in the kitchen.
There was a junior sous chef who had been with the company for 8(!!!) years and he earned 50 euro’s more than me per month.
From there on out I helped all my co-workers in re-negotiating their contracts, I wrote the letters demanding their raises, I gave them a list of bullet points they could use in the conversation with the manager and I made them aware of the things they would say to make you settle for less money, and how to respond to counter their bullshit manipulative arguments.
When I left the company the owner and manager wouldn’t even talk to me anymore. But the satisfaction that they had a staff that refused to be abused by them was worth it all..
Don’t ever let these motherfuckers keep us from uniting! They need us more than we need them.