DOE sites that pay new workers more than existing ones

[Content1]

Due to the scarcity of our particular workers, the new untrained are get 10-15% more for doing the same job.  No, there is no union here and not likely to happen.  It is an unfair situation, but short of quitting, there is nothing a person can do.   Anyone else experience this?

[UncaBuffalo]

Due to the scarcity of our particular workers, the new untrained are get 10-15% more for doing the same job.  No, there is no union here and not likely to happen.  It is an unfair situation, but short of quitting, there is nothing a person can do.   Anyone else experience this?

No, I've never experienced that...but I'd like to...assuming they will hire me as 'untrained'...  




Seriously, I hope ALL of the current 'trained' workers are honing their resume...on company time?

[Content1]

No, I've never experienced that...but I'd like to...assuming they will hire me as 'untrained'...  




Seriously, I hope ALL of the current 'trained' workers are honing their resume...on company time?

To further explain there are workers who have 20+ years in the field and hired on and have been faithful hard working people for many years at the job.  If you know about DOE sites a new person can take up to 6 month to be as fully trained as the existing people.   People are not writing resumes because they enjoy the work and are not planning to quit.   It just seems unfair a new worker with maybe 5 years in the field comes in making 15% more then the experience people currently doing all the work.   I heard this happens also at the Nevada Test site.  The reason they are making more is the number of people willing to leave their existing long term job to move to one of the most expensive areas of the country takes a high wage to attract them.   They tried offering what we made with no takers.   They kept raising the offers until it reached the level that people finally accepted.  I am not asking for a solution, just if our situation is unique or common at DOE sites.

[pertle2]

I am at DOE site with multiple contractors, Yes some pay more then others for same skill set and experience. It all depends on who you get with and what you want, do you want a job that will take care of you or do you want a burn you up job. You might want to think of swithcing locations or companies

[jowlman]

I know the same thing happened in Oak Ridge about 5 years ago. You had techs that had been working there for many years that were making less than tech that were hired in. Same kind of thing, they had to offer more money to get people will to come. SEC finally did institute a pay scale that would up equalizing the pay. I will add that it had nothing to do with experience, just time on site.

[hamsamich]

although the job title changes and usually a promotion is involved, that is one of the major ways corporations attract new blood.  Sometimes, a person in the same company will not get promoted even if they deserve it and a person from another company will be hired in making good $$$ at the "promoted" position. even though they may not be as good or qualified as the person within the company who was passed over.  not exactly what you were talking about, but in fact it is very similar.  many of the people passed over who deserve the raise or promotion are passed over because it is known they will stay for whatever reason.  people who will stay no mattter what give employers a leg up and put themselves in a more vulnerable condition in some ways.  being a contractor makes you vulnerable for more obvious reasons, but house people have their own issues to deal with, like this one.  pick your poison AND pick your pleasure!

[etm]

Eventually (usually when the existing staff starts leaving over salary inequities), you start seeing some raises based on the market.  Heck, moving from place to place is how I have gotten the raises that I thought I deserved.

This is going to be a continuing problem.  As a hiring manager it is one of the things I run into all the time.

Part of the reason why we are actually subject to disciplinary action if we speak about salaries at all.

[shiftman]

I am at DOE site with multiple contractors, Yes some pay more then others for same skill set and experience.

That even holds true at union sites that have multiple labor agreements with multiple contractors within the same local union. The United Steelworkers are a prime exampleof this at a couple of sites.

[Brett LaVigne]

While I agree that it does not seem fair, this is not a unique thing in our industry or others. I can remember a 35% swing from lowest paid to highest in the same job at my old company (advertising production facility). The lowest paid supervisor that worked for me was also the most talented and had been with the company for the longest period of time. You stay too long somewhere getting your 3% annual raises and it won't be long until you are left behind. Unfortunately the math just isn't fair for a non-union job where a company needs to attract new help in a market where not much new help is available. My HR Director in that company told me that if you are stagnant in a position for more than a couple of years without getting promoted or moving to other higher paying positions in the company, it is smart to move on or you will get left behind. Just the way of business...

All the more reason to be represented, that is the only way I can think of to keep it "fair".

[chamberd]

not to sound too arrogant but that seems to be the case with ALL companies.  The one getting paid BIG money were lured away hence incremental increase stagnation.  Many workers sell their talents short... If the company you work for thinks you won't jump, they won't pay to keep you, you are working for X $ already.  As a hopeful NOOB trying to get into this industry the open ended possibilities are what is luring me in...  I want a career not a job and this industry is growing where most all others are dying.  BTW... I love the openness of this site, many people are giving VERY valuable advice.  That is HUGE as an outsider trying to get in.  THANK YOU to those that post., now gotta get back to studying.....