Discuss your salary

Hauptmann

My father always used to quote Engels, "In demselben Maße, in dem die Widerwärtigkeit der Arbeit wächst, nimmt der Lohn ab." i.e. the more unpleasant the job, the poorer the pay. I still think that's true.
Fortunately I've always been self-employed (31 years now) and my own boss. I'm clobbered by the 50p tax rate, but really can't complain about my lot. I work as little as possible and see as much of the family as possible, take 3 good long-haul holidays a year etc. There is no virtue in hard work as far as I am concerned - I only come this way once and spending more time working that I absolutely have to is not on my agenda.

I am increasing amused by the 'public vs private' employment argument that is raging. I suspect a lot of this is being got up to distract attention from what the bankers are getting up to again (bonuses) and somehow the public sector workers seem to be getting (very unfairly) the blame for the deficit.
Personally I make no distinction between a public sector worker and someone who is suckling at the teat of a big company. I have met as many incompetents in the private sector as in the public.
At the end of the day the money all comes out of the same pot - if someone takes more out, someone else gets less, the pot is only so big.

Yesterday I had a visit from a photocopier salesman. A cocky young !!!!! in a new BMW 320 with gelled up hair and a designer suit. I told him that maybe he'd sell a few more if they put him in a Focus and cut the prices..
I have met plenty of accountants and lawyers over the past 30 years in business, and have yet to meet one that fully justified their salary. They work in 'closed shops' that conspire to extract money from their customers by adding unnecessary layers of complexity - seemingly without any liability when they mess things up. Be nice to see some more outsourcing of these jobs to India - already happening in a small way of course.
I have most respect for those who actually contribute something useful to the world and make it a better place to live, whether a doctor, nurse, teacher, scientist, designer, engineer or someone who can fix your car or build a house. Anyone remember the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy where all the 'middle-men' were shipped off Earth to another plant? - a spaceship full of advertising exec and lawyers etc. - what a nice idea.

michaels

Antifrank Reminds me of Bendix

Approx 60k

But tbh I would do a job I enjoyed for the minimum I could live on and support my family; and I would need to be offered an awful lot more (enough to retire on) to do a job that kept me away from home and family and which I felt wasn't socially productive.

Procrastinator333 wrote: »

I like antifrank. Good post of his.

Hauptmann

Pete111 wrote: »

lostinrates wrote: »

I couldn't agree more. A 26 YO graduate earning well under £10 an hour and describing it as 'too high a salary' is almost too worthy to take seriously!

I assume they are not based in the South East...

Looks a bit suspect to me, probably a wind-up.

doire_2

silvercar wrote: »

So is this thread meant to be a !!!!!! measuring contest?

Sssshhhh chucky will be looking for pictures of said contest

lostinrates

For goodness sake why does this always have to get so personal?

bendix

michaels wrote: »

Reminds me of Bendix

Approx 60k

Reminds me of bendix too.

I've never understood MSE's squeamishness about discussing income levels - we are all anonymous and this is a forum who's sole raison d'etre is money saving and income maximisation. And yet we have this English reserve about it.

On the one thread (in another part of the forum) in which people were asked to divulge their age, job title and salary, I was accused of being boastful simply because I put my own details up. I couldn't understand why - presumably people only want you to put details up if it concurs with what they themselves earn or what they consider everyone else should earn.

And here is the rub - if I put my own details on here, I'll be boasting. If I don't, I'm being hypocritical.

Go figure.

bendix

lostinrates wrote: »

For goodness sake why does this always have to get so personal?

How can it be personal when we don't know each other personally. As much as I admire the words that a cyber entity called lostinrates puts up, he/she remains just that - an unreal collection of letters on a computer screen.

Same for that idiot, bendix, come to think of it.

bendix

michaels wrote: »

But tbh I would do a job I enjoyed for the minimum I could live on and support my family; and I would need to be offered an awful lot more (enough to retire on) to do a job that kept me away from home and family and which I felt wasn't socially productive.

My position exactly. I earn a good living, but it means I live away from my loved ones, and it's a huge sacrifice. I'd gladly accept much less to do a job I love, surrounded by those i love.

At this stage in my career, it's impossible right now.

doire_2

lostinrates wrote: »

For goodness sake why does this always have to get so personal?

Chill out its the internet!

lostinrates

bendix wrote: »

How can it be personal when we don't know each other personally. As much as I admire the words that a cyber entity called lostinrates puts up, he/she remains just that - an unreal collection of letters on a computer screen.

Same for that idiot, bendix, come to think of it.

You're right in a way of course.

I think I mean aggressive? whiny? pathetic? *

but in an other way I really am a person behind a cyberidentity. who knows about Bendix...lol.Actually the thing is that with some people you do get glimpses into the person behind the identity lots of us communicate beyond MSE/forums now so you know names, find out you have people/places in common. Its why I, admittedly with embarrassment and regret, decline to answer some people's questions.

eta: *antagonistic, tedious, diversionary