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Originally Posted by amickracing

Lets just say, with out discussing pricing, that at the previous on call 24/7 only service guy job, when I got my $10 raise, I almost doubled my wage.

Ouch, that's really low!!

I always found the higher up on the companies food chain the smaller the raises.
I wouldn't want to try to be running a company in this economy. It' got to be tough.

Twilli still at minimum

Dallas area

I spent 12 years in Michigan. I had a job I really enjoyed there. Do to some health issues with my 3 year old son we relocated to the Dallas area for some medical programs offered here. That was 3 years ago. I have found a great company. As an installer, we average 50 to 70 a year. Some techs have pushed 100. Comfort advisors, yeah very nice. There are many companies here that get ya cheap. The higher paying jobs are out there. You have do a little research and the pot of gold is there. Dont get me wrong, we work our butts off. But I would anywhere. So why not get compensated for it. The pay system is all flat rate. As an installer, I averaged 30 to 40 per hour a week. I dont figure its bad to work avg of 50 hours a week for avg of 1200.00 Full service uniforms provided, medical, dental, 401K. We have a bonus reserve program that pays in the weeks where you didnt receive your 40 hr salary. A minimum paycheck each week.

We are always looking for installers, techs, and comfort advisors. It is well worth your look. Not from Dallas, use your relocation dollars. Its well worth the look.

Originally Posted by local 832s

I don't get it. When guys are saying the quit and go make 10.00 MORE per hour, what were you making??

Lets just say, with out discussing pricing, that at the previous on call 24/7 only service guy job, when I got my $10 raise, I almost doubled my wage.

Originally Posted by marter

id be moving

Thats the point. They keep you so broke you can't afford to.

I do agree with the OP on this subject. I've seen it myself. My advise would be, work for the bigger Co.'s. Mom and Pop shops have no future for the workers. Your only making them rich. Even if your new to the field, bigger companies will still hire you.

Originally Posted by meoberry

I don't know if we are allowed to discuss money on this site. Wouldn't want to tick off anyone. Besides might be another employee of my company on this site. And that is a big no no with my company.

Quit acting like we live with socialism and that big brother is going to swoop down and take your job if you utter the forbidden payrate. Part of the reason the pay scale is so low in some geographic areas is that employers strive to keep you in the dark as to what others are making.

Originally Posted by meoberry

I don't know if we are allowed to discuss money on this site. Wouldn't want to tick off anyone. Besides might be another employee of my company on this site. And that is a big no no with my company.

Lets just say that north west Florida's pay scale is about 10.00 an hour lower than anywhere else in the US.

id be moving

Originally Posted by local 832s

I don't get it. When guys are saying the quit and go make 10.00 MORE per hour, what were you making??

I don't know if we are allowed to discuss money on this site. Wouldn't want to tick off anyone. Besides might be another employee of my company on this site. And that is a big no no with my company.

Lets just say that north west Florida's pay scale is about 10.00 an hour lower than anywhere else in the US.

Raise? Crap, they're talking about pay cuts and benefit cuts around here. I'd be happy just keeping what we've got! And I am happy to still be working!

i just turned down a job offer making $2 a more per hour.. why well cause i do maintence work for a rest. chain and im always busy. i will get a min. of 8hrs OT a week, been doing that for a year now (figure 6 or more hrs on call for weekends, sometimes ive had 12hrs on call)

tired of working 50 to 60 hr weeks. so with the increase in hr pay, id still be loosing money on my weekly gross.

now if i was able to take that kind of pay loss i woulda jumped all over it. im kinda timed to talk to my manager and tell him i got an offer for $2 more on the hour. cause i know its tough. and the president of the company told us 2 months ago there would be no raises

but i KNOW that can not afford to loose one tech, already everyone is working so much OT and we can't keep up, nor will they hire anyone to help us out

we are on the verge of having everyone work half days. Work was great and then just like a wall..BAM Slow city. Anyways one of the techs asked the boss for a raise. The boss raised holy hell i guess, the tech could not understand why. "The owner got a pool last year why cant i get a raise" I was dumbfounded....this tech has no idea how close he is to losing his job, not based on work but on poor workmanship. I know it hurts but at hard times with small businesses u must bite your tong and be thankful for employment.

Originally Posted by J_SIN

During my companies last round of raises, our new manager had a sheet with the abilities and certifications associated with their level of pay. After going over the sheet and determining my abilities I got my raise and a copy of that sheet so I now know exactly what I need to learn and what certs I need to bring my pay to the next level, all the way up to journeyman.

I just joined the board so let me start by saying Hello....hello!

The above is exactly how we do it at our company. In addition to the above, we have a weekly bonus program that allows the tech to earn additional income based on his productivity. They control their own income. It's the purest form of profit sharing and it's immediate.

It seems to work well. We have a BBB rating of A+ and our techs are enthusiastic about the opportunity. It's not for everyone, but if your looking for a real career path with unlimited potential you might want to look for a company that offers these incentives.

I don't get it. When guys are saying the quit and go make 10.00 MORE per hour, what were you making??

1st company I worked for made me sign an apprentice paper stating what I'd get every 6 months for a raise and what I'd make at the end of it.

When raise time would come around I'd usually give it a week or 2 to show up on the paycheck, then add another month of me arguing with them to get the raise, then a couple more weeks for it to show up on the check.

Went in for my last apprenticeship raise, they said no raise till I was a journeyman. That friday I took the test, got the results the next week. Threw it on the desk, they were supposed to give me a raise of around $2. Suddenly they can't give more than $1 at a time.

It put in my notice a few weeks later and started for a couple more bucks an hour for a new company. They promised me a lot of stuff like they all do, around 2 years later I was on call 24/7, only service guy and doing tin, working lots of hours and making $1 more than I was hired for.

Quit, went to work for a big company, got like $10 more an hour than I was getting plus actual bennies. So far they've been good with the raises, but I'm a union apprentice (until July). I "think" this place is pretty decent with raises from what I've heard from the other guys.

I've always wondered if it was like that in other trades or lines of work. I really really hate asking for raises, always feels like I'm begging for more money, but... it's never stopped me from asking before either lol

Originally Posted by Bubbleheadski

i hadnt had a raise in 3 yrs till I left my company.... (was there 4 yrs)

Know the feeling bud. I worked for the same man for seven years. Took his company from 5 calls a day to 20 calls a day had to hire another tech.

Last two years. No raise. Cornered him one day and asked for a raise. He wanted to know what else I was going to do for the more money. I told him that it had been 2 years since last raise. He said he did not give yearly raises. I said "Thats not what you told me when I started" He did not recall saying that. (Like I have never heard that one before)

Heck! I was already Lead tech. Service manager, Plumber, Electrician, stocked all service parts in wharehouse and both service vans. Responsible for ordering of parts for all repairs. What else did he want.

He said that he could not afford to pay me anymore that I would have to sell more. Now this man was single never been married. Built two houses (vacation houses), bought a doublewide that he lived in, bought a 15000.00 lawnmower, a tractor with 20000.00 worth of attachements, a barn that was 100x50 and was nicer than his house, a 18000.00 boat, and a 65000.00 truck. This was all in the last two years. But could not afford to pay me two more dollars an hour. He was actually schocked when I turned in my notice. All of a sudden he wanted to give me a raise. I looked at him and said " TO LATE. I start my new job in two weeks" At ten more an hour and all the benefits you promised for seven years. It was like a one ton load had come off my shoulders. It felt even better on the last day.

i don't know i been with my current employer for 3 1/2 years. My first raise was for 4 bucks, my second raise was another 4 bucks, third raise was 3 bucks. now how do i ask for a raise when there is no work. and its not hot.

Originally Posted by J_SIN

During my companies last round of raises, our new manager had a sheet with the abilities and certifications associated with their level of pay. After going over the sheet and determining my abilities I got my raise and a copy of that sheet so I now know exactly what I need to learn and what certs I need to bring my pay to the next level, all the way up to journeyman.

That sounds nice!,i have never worked for a company that had anything like that. It's always been who can (or is willing to)brown nose the most that got the decent raises,part of the reason i have jumped companies so much. I'd rather leave a company than have to kiss someone's butt for a raise that i deserve anyways. Oh well

Originally Posted by J_SIN

During my companies last round of raises, our new manager had a sheet with the abilities and certifications associated with their level of pay. After going over the sheet and determining my abilities I got my raise and a copy of that sheet so I now know exactly what I need to learn and what certs I need to bring my pay to the next level, all the way up to journeyman.

i would be ecstatic if i have worked for a company that did that "Do and XXX per hour you need to have ....."

thats the way it should be, you'll find out real quick whos wanting to improve or whos just content with where they are at