Same machines. Same work. Nearly the same pay.
This morning I woke up at 3:30 a.m.
I couldn't sleep.
Last night, I realized I missed my 30-day enrollment window for insurance at my new job.
By one day.
You big dumbie.
So, I got up and wrote this.
My Resignation
To whom it may concern,
This is my two weeks' notice. My last day will be July 31st.
Thank you for the opportunity.
Why am I leaving?
Because I know in my heart this isn't the right job for me.
It's just not.
In my short time here, I've talked with a lot of employees and spent a lot of time thinking.
One question kept coming back.
Why is the pay so low?
The only conclusion I can come to is you're taking advantage of your employees.
It's just not a fair wage.
Thirty years ago, I did this exact same job.
A CNC machinist.
The job is nearly identical.
Nothing has changed.
Not even the pay.
The machines are the same, yet the parts are just different sizes and shapes.
Do you know what I got paid then?
$17.50 an hour.
What?
Fifty cents more than today.
You do realize a gallon of gas is no longer a dollar, right?
So how do you get by with this low rate?
That's what I've been thinking about.
And here's what I came up with.
The Fluff.
In sales, we call it the fluff.
It's things like PTO and an extra week of vacation.
We are going to give you something nice and shiny and fluffy on the front side, and then stick it to you on the backside.
This way, we can justify paying you less.
On the front side, it seems great, right?
But really, is it?
No.
It's smoke and mirrors.
If you take my wage, $18 an hour, and multiply it by two weeks, you get:
$1,440.
Sounds great, right?
No.
Now, on the backside, let's take a $2 raise.
Only two.
Without overtime.
$2 × 40 × 52 weeks = $4,160
Yeah.
Right.
That's not good in any way, shape, or form.
Because let's be honest, you don't have to drive far to make an extra two dollars.
Matter of fact, I'm quite sure I can make five or six dollars more for the same job somewhere else.
Anywho, I'm not sure why I felt the need to tell y'all all this.
Maybe I was hoping someone would actually realize it's not good, and maybe you could find yourself doing something better in the future.
Wishful thinking, I'm quite sure.
Thanks for the opportunity, but I can't see myself growing here.
There just isn't anywhere to grow.
FYI: I'm not really quitting.
Not today, anyway.
I just want to.
Grrr... 😤
