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Salary Grievance
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Chair, Martin Lewis · Editor, Marcus Herbert
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This is not a grievance matter.
I hope you don't mind me requoting the opening post, I don't know the exact mechanics of how it works or what purpose it serves but generally they seem to get erased after a while. I've requoted it so people can understand the thread when that happens.
Anyway to the issue.
First is, people in the same role can generally be paid differently. It's everywhere including where I work and some people will come in on more than others, some less, and generally there are reasons but it boils down to what you come in with (terms of experience, certs), individual negotiation (I'll join you but I expect x) and company pay policy.
You have to be careful here, whilst I can appreciate the feeling of a trainee being paid the same might seem a bit offputting at a glance, there might be things you don't know, and from what you've said they aren't being paid more than you. Using this as a basis for a grievance will likely look bad. Remember, unless you attended their interview/negotiations you don't really have the gen on what this person is going to bring and sometimes roles are tailored to people if they have a bit extra in some area.
When you state your case for a raise, you need to sell it on the merits of your loyalty, experience, what you bring to the table - it needs to discount what other people are on entirely.
It is important this doesn't become a grudge point between you and the new employee, you are both very united by the common goal of getting what you can get and the shoe on the other foot you'd go for what you could too.
For what it's worth, I totally understand why the knowledge of this might be annoying or worrying, just be aware there's a way to go about things and there might be more to the story than you know so it needs treading carefully...and constructively.
In my old place of work, people doing the same job got different salary depending how good they negotiated at interview.
For example, if a local competitor has gone bust they may be lots of suitably skilled people looking for similar jobs. In that situation the employer can get suitable staff for less. At another time, perhaps if the competition are expanding, suitable people may be hard to find without offering a premium.
Salary is ultimately a personal thing and not only can they pay the trainee the same as you they could pay them more than you if they wanted. Some companies do have fixed salaries which can mean everyone of the same grade/role is paid the same (normally high volume roles) but that is at their discretion and their grades may or may not differentiate new starters from experienced employees
As long as you are being paid at least minimum wage, and are being paid in accordance with your contract, the employer is not doing anything wrong.
There is not reason why you cannot ask for a pay rise.
However, stating that someone else is getting paid the same or more than you is not, in and of itself, a good reason for a raise.
The issue is whether you are worth more to the company than they are currently paying, and whether you provide more value that the person who is being paid the same amount.
It may be that it is the going rate for the job, and that your extra experience doesn't actually add much value (*at least once the new employee completes their basic training period)
It may be that you are more valuable and that your company is not very good at reviewing salaries - I'm not clear from your post whether your salary has stayed much the same since you started or if it has gone up, but that you have now found that others are on a similar level despite having less experience, in which case it may simply be that that's the going rate for the job and the extra experience doesn't make much difference (which is something that can vary a lot depending in the role and type of work)
What I would recommend is that you do a bit of research - look at the market rate in your local area for jobs like yours, with your level of experience. Think about what value you bring to your role, and what responsibilities, skills etc do you have and use which make you a more valuable employee than the more junior staff member, then ask your manager for a meeting, request a pay rise and set out your reasonable (i.e. why you believe that you are worth more to the company than they are currently paying you)
If they don't agree then you can also ask them what you will need to change / improve in order to be eligible for a raise , or a further raise.
There's nothing wrong with employees discussing salary, it an be a positive to help identify things such as discrimination, but equally, it can mean that sometimes you find out that you are as much different to another employee as you assumed.
If you want a payrise it's ultimately down to "pay me X or I'm going elsewhere", and then they just need to decide if they'd prefer to pay you X or for you to leave.
In some companies, discussing salaries with colleagues is very much discouraged, and in a new job, I'd want to know the culture and expectations better before sharing.
Where I work, salaries are not quite public knowledge, but everyone knows that this role pays £Xk, and that role pays £Yk. Salaries are included in adverts. There's a few niche roles, but if a role hasn't been advertised for 20+ years then no-one other than managers and the post holder would have a clue. Well, I'd know too because I do payroll, but my lips are sealed.
And we don't negotiate ...