I work for a small county government and early in 2019 the head of our department got county commission to agree to department-wide raises because our required skills, heavy work load, and we are one of the only areas within the county that doesn't work mon-fri 7-4. No one was applying for open positions and our team with 9 positions only had 3 workers and a supervisor to cover 6 months of 24/7 work.
So we got commissioners to agree to raises about the same time a new head of HR started. Coincidentally, there was also a move to vote for a union among county workers (laborers). We were told that when new hires came in at the new pay rate, our pay would be adjusted as well. We get new people and they come in making more than us. It's ok, we know our raise is coming. That was in June. We are told wait a pay period while they work out the details, so we wait. By August we are ready to mutiny. I call hr twice a week for about a month asking what the status is and I never get an answer. HR finally calls my general manager to give me a talk and basically say I am not to bother them anymore. Also I am assured that we should get our raise in the first paycheck of the fiscal year (October) but there would be no back pay.
So October arrives, but the raises do not. We are all talking about quitting so we can reapply at the new rate. The union talk is getting louder and the head of HR is coming to speak to those who fall under the potential union. He comes to see us and gets done with his speech about why we don't want a union (insert eye roll here) and asks if we have any questions. My hand shoots up and everyone but him knows exactly what I am going to say.
I ask where the raises are that we were promised. We are told when we got new people at the new rate we would get raises to match. The new guys are making more than we are and they deserve that pay, but we do too. The fiscal year has started over, we were told it would happen then and it didn't. Why can't HR process 3 employee raises that the county commission approved 8 months before?
He answers he wasn't aware of any raises, but he would look into it. At that, the department head that pushed for the raises leaves the room, and prints out the email that says the paperwork is on his desk waiting to be signed, when the meeting is over he takes the email to HR dick and shows him he is literally the reason it hasn't happened yet. He promises to go sign it so things can get started. October, sign the paperwork and it begins.
Mid-December, no raises. There is a managers meeting in our building with all the commissioners and department heads. HR dick is there. He sees me near the entrance and thinks he is going to be my buddy. He says “Hey, good to see you. How are you doing?”. I respond “I would be a lot better if I had the raise I was promised.”. The nearest commissioner overhears and pulls him aside for a chat. Our raise finally showed up in January. Two pay periods is what we were promised back in June when the new guys started.
Since then I have applied for probably 7 positions in the county that were desk jobs, Monday through Friday, 7-4. I have not been interviewed for any of them. I met all the qualifications and our county has a policy that if a current employee applies and meets requirements they will get an automatic interview. I feel HR dick has singled me out because I called him on his bullshit and he got a talking to from a county commissioner because of it.