My mother retired earlier last week from her government job(it was fire and natural resource management position) she was responsible for hiring people,budgeting, radio opperation and oversaw several people in her office, she essentially ran the place even though she wasn't management. Also she was the union rep for her district. She had be fighting for the last 15 years for better wages for people in her position across the country, to no avail. When she retired last week the person they hired to replace her immediately quit and they can't find another replacement. They called her and offered her much more money to come back and work until they can find another replacement. If she had just quit all those years ago she would have gotten the raise she had fought for over 15 years for.
Know your worth people if they don't want to pay you what your worth, quit and find a better place that will.