[randomcarbloke]

If I think I get paid more than you in the same role it's absolutely in my interest to keep that information from you. With departmental budgets in mind, you receiving a raise may limit the total compensation available to me when I negotiate my own.

[eecc]

Ever heard of the allegory “I capponi di Renzo” from the Promessi Sposi novel by Alessandro Manzoni? Look it up

[hayst4ck]

> “i capponi di Renzo”, has become a proverbial admonition in Italian culture

> Renzo is carrying these poor capons (castrated male chicken) as his only means of payment to a well-off city lawyer, whom Renzo intends to hire... Manzoni (the author) notes that, had the capons been a little more intelligent, they would have started picking the hand that kept them captive, therefore regaining their freedom. Instead, the capons fought among themselves and ended up being delivered with great ease to their recipient.

[randomcarbloke]

Don't be daft, my employer is not my adversary.

[hayst4ck]

Are you for real?

You think you are in a zero sum relationship with your co-workers, but not your boss/company?

The word negotiation indicates two parties with conflicting interests reaching an agreement. You don't negotiate with your co-worker, you negotiate with an HR department. You are literally in conflict with your employer. Your employer benefits by paying you the minimum possible, and you benefit by being paid the maximum possible.

You and your co-worker benefit by breaking open the companies books and knowing how much they could be paying you but aren't.