Would You Tell A Work Colleague How Much You Earned?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/10357683/Men-would-be-happy-to-reveal-wages-to-female-colleagues-says-Nick-Clegg.html

So Mr Clegg thinks most men would be happy to tell their female colleagues how much they earn, if this is so could it equally be said that most women would tell their male colleagues how much they earned?

/// It comes after yesterday Jo Swinson, the Women and Equalities minister, said women should pluck up the courage to confront male colleagues about their earnings even though the subject of pay is taboo in British culture. ///

Yes the subject of a person's pay is taboo in British culture, why many year ago my employers thought I was valuable enough to grant me a rise, more than was given to my immediate colleague, I conveyed my good news to this colleague who immediately went to head office to complain, why he hadn't been so rewarded, guess who finished up on the carpet for a lecture on how one's salary is private and not to be divulged to others?

[wolf63]

I was lucky enough to be a civil servant (24 years and 33 days) and we had pay scales and everything was transparent.

I would hate to think that there is still inequality between the wages of each gender. I started work at the age of 16 (1980) and much has changed over the years - not always for the better but, overall, the gender inequality/equality problems are improving.

In your case AOG you were in the right as you were being honest. Things have, hopefully, changed and employees are more likely to stand up for themselves. Some employers still behave like tyrants.

[jomifl]

I worked in an industry that had pay scales modelled on the civil service. We all knew exactly how much everybody earned, it wasn't a problem.

[woofgang]

In the NHS, too all salaries are public knowledge.

[jno]

I always told my pay to anyone who asked (not that many did). Employers, like yours, try to use secrecy to stop people knowing they're being underpaid.

[boxtops]

I was going to say what woof did - NHS payscales are all public knowledge, and we all know the grades of our colleagues (male and female). You move up the pay spine as your years in post proceed, so if you know how long they've worked there, it's very easy to work out.

However, in the 1970s when I worked in industry in a junior role, I was blasted by my then boss for discussing my pay with a colleague. Ridiculous.

I think in your case, AOG, if I'd got more than my colleague, I'd have kept schtum. I've worked in places with performance-related pay - a stirring spoon if ever I met one - people who got on well with the boss got more pay. Wrong.

[Buenchico]

When I worked in teaching, the kids often asked me how much I earned and I never hesitated to show them (or, indeed, anyone else who asked) my pay slip. I'm still happy to reveal my income (or lack of it!) to anyone who wishes to know.

[Prudie]

Interesting question aog as I'm in the CS too and we all know each other's grades obviously but within those grades are scales or spines that vary a minimum of 10K from top to bottom so actually none of use know what each is paid and it is an unwritten rule that you don't discuss it. The last time I admitted my salary to a colleague was actually last week but it was in the middle of an argument and I was seeing the red mist.

[boxtops]

Our spines are like that Prudie, but they relate only to length of service. Each job is banded (by the dreaded Agenda for Health process) so equivalent responsibilities should all be banded the same, irrespective of context.

[islasmum]

No. It's my business to know what I earn, and I wouldn't go around asking other people what they earned either.

[boxtops]

I certainly wouldn't ask colleagues outright what they earn, that's none of my business.

[Prudie]

We used to be length of service only but now our spines are negotiable boxy, you can jump up with senior approval. Plus there is a quite an overlap so a lower grade can be earning more than the next grade up. Causes all sorts of resentments.

[ichkeria]

No, AOG was perfectly within his rights to divulge his salary.
For "salary is private and not to be divulged" read "it exposes us to embarrassing questions"

As others have said, the public sector, largely, has an open pay structure, despite PRP. So this wretched situation is less likely to arise.

[weecalf]

If everyone was paid the same for doing the same work then it would not matter .im getting less than someone who never worked a day in their lives .worry no Ill get by

[saxy_jag]

Like several others here, I work in local government and we're paid in line with national pay scales so there are no secrets. We even know how much the Mayor gets paid. However what management don't seem to like talking about are their own job descriptions. I don't question my current colleagues - they all work da**ed hard and I see the work they do, but as for my last job, well ...

[FredPuli43]

Of course I would, if anyone asked. If a boss wants it treated like state secret, the fault, and the reason for the rule, is the boss's

[LyndaB]

Unless someone is in a supervisory capacity, we all get paid the same rate - the difference only happens when you work more hours than a colleague

[paddywak]

When I worked for British Coal we were all graded so everybody knew what everybody else was paid, though there where additional payments depending on the conditions you were working in such as water or oil money which were negotiated on an job by job basis,but even so it soon got round the pit what the guys working a certain district were being paid extra.

[zebo]

Like many, I was paid on a National scale as a teacher. However, the Head's pay was at the discretion of the Governors within a band and as a Governor, I had to remove myself from the meeting on the Head' salary.

[anotheoldgit]

jno

/// Employers, like yours, try to use secrecy to stop people knowing they're being underpaid. ///

Not always, I suspect that most of them would rather prevent themselves the embarrassment of telling some that they aren't worthy of a rise.

Employees should be paid by results and not in line with everyone else, although everyone should have the same chance of attaining those results.