Salary queries

[Lady Jane]

Hi all,

I don't quite know what to make of this. Ive been employed by the same company for ten years. Ive been in the job I have now for four years. I have recently discovered I am payed less than my colleague who started the job the same time as I did four years ago. I can take this on the chin as I believe they negotiated better pay when they were offered the job.

Today they have advertised to get us more staff. When looking at the job advert I noticed that the pay is more than I get. Its only an additional 5 pounds a year, but given my 4 years of experience in the job and ten years service to the company, I feel its a matter of principle. We are supposed to get a certain percentage increase for years of service, so I don't understand how I could be paid less than someone who hasn't even got the job yet.

Im feeling very undervalued and don't quite know how to handle this. Do I say something? Do I keep quiet and be greatful I have a job?

I'm on a low income anyway due to it being term time employment so 5 pounds is 5 pounds!

I feel like going in tomorrow and applying for the job myself!

Any words of wisdom would be truly appreciated.

[ULA]

I would suggest that in the first instance you speak to your manager about this and see what the outcome of that is first before considering how next to approach this.

You can always come back to this thread once you have done that and let us know the outcome and if you need any further help we can advise what the next stage is which is likely to be raising a formal grievance

[Lady Jane]

Thankyou Ula,

I have spoken to my manager this evening and she thinks it is unfair and is going to ask for it to be looked into, however she has no control over the salaries they set. I am going to keep calm and email our HR dept tomorrow morning and ask for the exact FTE for my income and if my maths is correct and it is less I will take it from there.

[Lady Jane]

Today I received a response to this query. The salary was in fact less than the salary offered in the job advert and they have agreed to match my salary to that of the new staff member.

It's a start, however, when I started my new role my new job role letter stated that it included a salary paid according to experience and qualifications on their payscale. It also stated they offered an enhancement scheme for years of service.

I have queried this now, if my salary only just matches that of a new starter then there is obviously no increase for service or experience and this was false information.

[ULA]

Hi Lady Jane it is good to hear that you have at least had an initial positive response in regard to your salary. However you are right to query the contents of the letter provided with respect to experience and qualifications.

Was there any indication what the number of years service is required for any enhancement and whether you qualify?

[Lady Jane]

Hi Ula,

There was a loyalty bonus of 1% a year (which has now been scrapped) which is not reflected in my salary if a new starter is on the same. I have now queried the lack of progression this displays and basically asked them to let me know if this is a dead end job with no way of progressing, therefore, time for me to move on. They agreed its wrong, and I have been asked to help design a payscale (in line with progression) relevant to my role by the powers that be. Their actions also made me question unpaid overtime (above my contracted hours) which has now been made voluntary instead of compulsory

I'm going to say this is a win win for now. Will be interesting to see of my salary increases once a suitable payscale is developed.

[ULA]

Hi Lady Jane thanks for the update on what is happening. Good that you are being involved in the process of payscale design, although I just hope that this does not take too long to do, so that you can finally get this resolved.