[onion2k]

There is an element of failure to negotiate, and to renegotiate, involved but if that's where your thinking stops you're missing the point. It's not just that the person involved didn't ask for a raise. It's also the fact that everyone above them who was privy to salary data accepted it. Every single person in a higher management role was perfectly OK with two people doing the same job being paid significantly different salaries.

And then you start wondering if you're being underpaid too. Do all the people above you know how much of a sucker you are for accepting the lowball rate?

It's a problem for people who get promoted to a level where they get to peek behind the curtain and see all the things that the company has been doing wrong all the time they've been there, and the realisation that all the other people are fine with it. It kind of gets to you after a while.

[roody15]

I respectfully disagree. There is no "inherent" fairness for salary in my experience (older in my mid 40's). For example if you feel you are underpaid and deserve 15K more per year... make your case. If you have a reasonable case to be made (others make this for salary for the same job ... or I am worth it because) then make it. If they don't offer anything then perhaps you do work for a crappy company and should consider another job.

However the idea that everyone should be paid the same for the same position is just not how the world works.

Here is a personal example. Long time ago I worked at a bank.. I did simple teller operations and some loan document processing. My co-worker did the same job. However when it came to number of transactions processed and number of loan documents processed I literally was twice as productive. So should we be paid the same since its technically the same position? Or do I have a valid case to be made that I am worth more? Would my coworker have a valid reason to be upset that I make more?

Another example in my IT career, In general I get things done quickly and am easy to work with. There are people in this profession that sometimes lack social skills and can just be difficult to work with. Is my ability to easily work with others and get things done quicker (technical skill and people skills) worth more to my employer than say someone in my same "position" who is hard to work with..add hurdles to get things done... etc.