redbird: a butterfly, wings folded, resembling the letter V (letter v)
Redbird ([personal profile] redbird) wrote2007-09-27 08:40 pm
Entry tags:

Pay rates: I have been bold

I was expecting to hear from the temp agency this morning, about the new work. Not having heard by the time I got back from lunch (2-ish), I called them, got put through to the right person (this took a little while, in part because they change people around enough that I've stopped keeping track, but this month's is named Brian), and said "I'm at Triumph, I've got this new assignment, what's the money going to look like?" He told me, and I told him I was disappointed. He asked what I had been expecting, and I told him, and added that the hourly rate he had named was in the range of what, a year ago when the agency were interviewing me, they'd mentioned as the upper end of the range for first-shift proofreading (night work pays more). He had me hold on a minute (I don't know if he actually called someone in accounting, or just is under instructions to say he's doing so when someone calls about this sort of thing), and raised it by a dollar.

On the one hand, I'm still being underpaid. On the other, this constitutes a 21% raise over what I'd been getting until last week, and I got it in part by being forthright and asking for what I wanted. And that dollar an hour difference is probably about $1800/year, given realistic numbers for the amount of time I take off, either by choice or because temps don't get paid for things like July 4.

After the phone call, I sat at my desk with my manuscript and calmed down from the necessary adrenaline. (It was a very clean manuscript; I didn't need anything like the three days Wendy had told me I should feel free to take on it.)

[identity profile] gothgeekgirl.livejournal.com 2007-09-28 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
*applause*

[identity profile] serenejournal.livejournal.com 2007-09-28 12:58 am (UTC)(link)
You rock!

[identity profile] hobbitbabe.livejournal.com 2007-09-28 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
Again, well done for asking.
liv: cartoon of me with long plait, teapot and purple outfit (teeeeeeeeea)

[personal profile] liv 2007-09-28 06:18 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, well done! Very impressive boldness. I hope I can be inspired by your example when I am sorting things out for next year, because I really need a pay rise (I will lose my tax exemption once I've been here two years) but I'm also rather desperate for anything at all.

[identity profile] pyrzqxgl.livejournal.com 2007-09-28 06:27 am (UTC)(link)
Good work!

[identity profile] roadnotes.livejournal.com 2007-09-28 11:49 am (UTC)(link)
Huzzah!

[identity profile] baratron.livejournal.com 2007-09-28 03:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, it is quite alarming the extent to which temps get underpaid because the temping agency keeps a massive amount of the money. I'm trying to remember the numbers from when I did temping. I have a feeling that the company I worked for was paying £15 an hour, and I saw £5.50 of that? Maybe it was only £13 an hour - anyway, I'm certain that the agency made more money for my work than I did. Which seemed rather backwards.

With the tutoring I do now, the agencies take around 20-25% commission. Which is reasonable - I charge ~£25 an hour and they get £5 of that. Of course, the massive difference in wage is due to the fact that what I do now is highly skilled (science teaching) compared to what I was doing then (office grunt work - photocopying & the like), but I do feel much less exploited by the agencies.

Congratulations on your promotion and improved wage, & continued good thoughts for the company working out a way to hire you permanently.

[identity profile] mjlayman.livejournal.com 2007-09-28 09:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Good job!

finances/work

[identity profile] evakanner.livejournal.com 2007-09-29 04:58 pm (UTC)(link)
well done. well done me as well. I finally managed to comment. mom