Did you get a pay cut?
By Taskr36
@Taskr36 (13963)
United States
November 24, 2009 2:38pm CST
I'm curious how many here on mylot received a pay cut this past year or two. Most businesses stopped giving merit increases last year and many, including UPS and Fed Ex gave employees 5% paycuts.
Here in Miami, my library has a hiring freeze, a freeze on merit and cost of living increases, is taking away our holiday pay, and giving all staff a 5% paycut in addition to the laying off of hundreds of employees. Meanwhile the now former mayor gave himself and his cronies raises ranging from 10% to 25%. To keep these raises from being noticed on budget reviews he backdated the raises to Sept. 21, 2008 which not only hid it from the current budget, but gave them a whole year of retroactive pay raises. That amounts to his chief of staff getting a bonus of over $20,000 immediately after the retroactive raise was put in place.
So today I saw a thread started by another member on how to save money and just about everyone there started by saying congress's salaries should be cut. Why hasn't that already happened? Everyone else is getting a paycut, yet the people giving those paycuts gave themselves a raise last year. Congress is the reason we're in this mess. Why isn't there a bigger movement demanding they get paycuts when I'm betting 90% of Americans would support that?
: http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/1198476.html
3 people like this
18 responses
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
25 Nov 09
Not only should Congress get a big pay cut, they should also be required to have the same healthcare that they are trying to force on us.... and the should also be tied into the Social Security instead of their current retirement.
Maybe then they would be a lot more careful about the things that they pass.
2 people like this
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
2 Dec 09
I agree with you Destiny, but we all know that will NEVER happen. But, it has nothing to do with the party in control, it has to do with their egos and the power they have. The American people should be the ones giving these guys pay raises.
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
24 Nov 09
I used to be a star employee, an over-achiever. Ever since I started working, not only did I get merit increases, but also bonuses or performance increases. This year was the first that I didn't get any. And top it all up, I got a 5% paycut. Well, the whole company got a 5% paycut. Except the executive management, where they got a 7% paycut.
I work for a private company, that's why when one gets a paycut, everybody does. Unlike the people in public service, where a paycut of the lowly employee doesn't really mean the same for the ones higher up. 
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
24 Nov 09
Well I respect your company and the executive management for taking hits themselves. Private businesses often do that and when I worked for Universal Studios layoffs always started at the top where they saved the most money by cutting the fewest people. Good on you for being a hard working employee and I'm sure that your merit increases will resume once things stabilize.
@Latrivia (2878)
• United States
24 Nov 09
I haven't got a pay cut, but my employer didn't give out bonuses this year. Since I've worked there, all partners got a $100 bonus during October. It wasn't much, but for someone like me that money could have stretched far.
They tried to make up for it in additional employee discounts during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, but it's, well...just not the same.
However, I have to wonder, wouldn't a pay cut to congress increase the likelihood of them taking money from interest groups in return for favors for the interest groups?
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
24 Nov 09
The majority of our senators and reps are rich, with many of them being millionaires. The money and favors with interest groups and such is to keep them in power. They don't really need the money for themselves and if they do, they'll just funnel it to their wives or husbands by getting them jobs or earmarking money for their place of business like Obama did.
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
2 Dec 09
Actually I had a 10% pay raise last year, and a 20% pay increase this year. But, that is because I am a commission salesman, and I am good at what I do.
But, thanks for asking
@6precious102 (4043)
• United States
29 Nov 09
I get paid the same per hour as before, but my work days were decreased from five days a week to two.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
27 Nov 09
My husband essentially got a paycut but he didn't know it as soon as it happened. Late last year his wages were increased to 19.50 an hour. Then one day he noticed (in August of this year) that he was only being paid 19 an hour. It pissed him off to a certain extent as it did me as well, but there was really nothing that could be done about it. I think of it this way, at least he still has a job in a market that was having serious problems earlier this year and at least it only amounted to 20 dollars a week difference.
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
25 Nov 09
I didn't get a paycut, and my husband got a small cost of living increase. So we aren't really feeling this recession the way the rest of the world seems to be. We are being extra careful with our money though, just in case.
@bucketkid (237)
• Australia
25 Nov 09
i actually recently had a pay rise.
i work at bunnings which is owned by westfarmers. we have an eba which means our wages are discussed between the company and the union.
here in australia, the economic crisis hasnt really affected much except offshore stocks and superannuation.
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
25 Nov 09
One thing about it, we the people have the power to give those in Congress a total pay cut; and considering their behavior, there is a very good possibility they'll be getting just that.
@ronnyb (6113)
• Jamaica
25 Nov 09
I didnt get a pay cut but then I work for the government.Our government though has put a freze on incentives and increment which we usually get when we get a good performance evaluation.I am extremely happy for that because I am already living from hand to mouth abd cant stand a pay cut.i do understand though hwo it feels for people at teh bottom to be told to hold strain and then everyone else higher up is taking a pay hike
@JennyMarie (366)
• United States
25 Nov 09
I am very fortunate that I work for a company that so far has not been effected by all that is going on with the financial situation here in the United States. I have not received a pay cut and this year I received 2 raises. So I have alot to be thankful for
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
26 Nov 09
Yeah I had a pay cut.
When the constitution of the US was written, the idea was that people in the government would be business people. People who already earned a living on their own.
This way, they would not require money from the tax payers, because they were already wealthy business people.
Today, the ignorant public thinks that having business people in government is horrible. That they are "evil greedy CEOs" and other garbage.
So instead we have career politicians. People who have lived off of tax payer money their entire lives. These leaches on society will never cut their income, because that's how they make a living. As long as we keep voting them into office, they'll never cut their own pay.
@millertime (1394)
• United States
26 Nov 09
I didn't get a pay cut but I didn't get a cost of living increase in 2008 or 2009, so basically, my pay has been frozen since October 2007.
It totally disgusts me that congress is able to vote themselves pay increases. That has to be changed but in order to do it, people need to make it known that they will vote anyone out of office that doesn't vote for a bill taking that ability away from them. Then they actually have to back up the threat and do it.
A lot of government agencies are able to vote themselves pay raises and we need to put a stop to it. Government is the only place you find this sort of self serving greed so the only way to stop it is through our votes. I just wish more people would start paying attention to what's going on and do something about it.
@dede58 (11)
• Canada
25 Nov 09
I guest I'm lucky I did not get a pay cut, but I have to be truthfull, I'm self employed, so that helps, I work has a bookkeeper and these days compagny prefect to do their accounting by a self employed person it cost less for them, but for me it gives me more and more jobs, that is the fun part, more money in my pocket
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
24 Nov 09
I received a drastic pay cut when my position was eliminated entirely in 2008 and they let me go. I did notice while assisting my boss with the budget that the parent company kept sending back for revisions that she clung tightly to her salary increase. For what I don't know...she was little more than a figurehead. My son-in-law is still with the railroad...they received an increase but they're union now. U.S. Sugar, the parent company, did institute pay freezes in all non-union departments.
You make a great point about Congress and I agree that the people need to get behind the idea of pay cuts for them. It's grossly unfair that the average person has to struggle just to make ends meet while the fat cats in Washington reap undeserved pay increases. The situation in Miami is outrageous...but I'd be willing to bet that the folks running Hooterville have or will get a pay increase. I'll have to ask my niece what the status is at the courthouse...other than a hiring freeze which has already been in effect for a year now. She's currently doing the job of two people.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
25 Nov 09
I did not get an hourly paycut but I did get a perk or two taken away from my job. We used to get a small attendance bonus per month and they discontinued that. They also cut out our company picnic and the dinners they provided us for holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. These were small losses compared to what they could have been or what others have suffered. I do agree about the wages that congress is allowed. I don't understand why everyone is suffering but them.
@kelly10 (678)
•
24 Nov 09
I haven't had a paycut in the traditional sense but had my overtime cut by two hours. When I was told I was just glad to still have a job. I'm currently on a temporary contract and I was so pleased it was extended that I wasn't really bothered about dropping 2 hours overtime. I honestly didn't think that it would make much of a difference. How wrong was I? Now at the end of each month I have very little left in my account and I have had to stop putting anything into my savings account.
Luckily I'm able to pay all the bills and still treat myself to a visit to the local pub, but I am getting worried. If things don't change I will have to try and find a part-time job but I'm not sure how I'd fit one in. Oh well, I'll just have to get writing on here!
@MJay101 (710)
•
24 Nov 09
I totally agree with you.
I've been lucky, in receiving two pay rises. However, these were linked to exams - of which I passed five - so it's not like I've been raking it in. Indeed, our company introduced an inflationary pay freeze, and the directors took a pay cut.
I think things are improving, and we may get a pay rise in March...
But across the UK, there are very few companies in a position to offer a raise.
This is why the MPs expenses scandal has caught the attention of the press: our elected officials really are taking the p*ss. They enjoy a fat salary and obscene pension benefits; on top of this, the majority of MPs abuse the expenses system to make thousands of pounds a year, tax-free, by (essentially) stealing from taxpayers.
It makes me very, very mad!
I think 90% of UK voters would want MPs to take a pay cut.
I think 90% of UK voters would want MPs to take a pay cut.