A short true story-
On Thursday I asked the plant manager at my employer (Alloc Inc.) for a raise. I had decided I was due one for rational reasons including; I perform more work than is required of me, I am skilled at my job and perform it better than the person who held it before me (and got paid what I do), I have saved the company money by creating a more efficient inventory system and through orginizational efforts that have reduced the time to complete my job functions in a modest estimate by half, I am cross-trained in many of the critical roles in the manufacturing proccess, and because I am always willing to do more to better my job. I presented my case to the plant manager clearly and calmly expecting that my proof could not be refuted or ignored. I was wrong.
After my request and subsequent explination I was denied my raise on these grounds. I was told explicitly and in these words, "I cannot give you a raise because we do not pay based on merit." He procceeded to explain to me that no matter how much work I might do there would be no more compensation forthcoming because I was simply doing my job even though many of the tasks I perform are explicitly not my job. It was then explained that it was sort of like communism, everyone with my job title gets paid the same amount of money regardless of their performance because the company had decided that was a fair wage to pay, based not on the amount of work to be done, but by a poll of similar job titles in the area.
While I listened to this evil unfold before me a question surfaced in my mind and I asked it. What then is my motiviation for working more than the man before me who did little work and took home the same wage? The reply, "Because that's what you do, and the kind of person you are. You work hard." There laid out before me was a monstrous evil that I know exists and is taking over the world of business but could not believe I would ever face it so blatantly. I was and am being punished by my own ability and by the fact that I hold my work as sacred to me. They are asking me hang myself and be the hangman besides, all while selling it as an act of virtue. He knows that due to my moral code I will work to the best of my ability and always try to improve my skills and has no qualms about using this as a chain to bind me. He knows that it is tied to my self-esteem and my world. There is one thing he is counting on that I will not give him though. I will not give him my sanction to destory me. His plan requires my values to hold me to my job and to my level of skill, but my values do not exist in his world. He is counting on something that he does not believe in or practice and that is his flaw. Work, all work, comes from my view of the world. In order to crumble his scheme all I have to do is to pronounce one word in my mind, "No."
I have decided that I will perform no more work than is required of me by my job title that he holds so dear. I will not offer extra effort or value that I will not be compensated for. Justice is a concept from my world and it demands that I do this. In the mean time I will begin looking for another job so that my work does not support a company or man with these beliefs because that would be against mine. I will also never buy a product of theirs and will encourage others to follow my lead. A sanction is what evil needs in order to exist, I will not give it to them.
2:19:01 PM 
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