Whiny Workers

Anyone who's held a job, has likely encountered a co-worker who complains incessantly, about one or more of the following subjects:
(a) salary;
(b) the tasks assigned to them;
(c) their work area;
(d) the company they work for.

Or maybe you're that complainer.  If you are, maybe you should read this.  Give you some food for thought.

Salary.
This is a major pet peeve of mine, people complaining about not getting paid enough, or deserving more.  Chances are, when you were being offered your job, you discussed salary.  This is the best time for you to ask for more, if there was more to be offered.  You never know.  But once you accept it, that's it. 
Seven years ago, I lost a job due to downsizing.  It was a rough summer; my mother passed away, and I was jobless.  It was a terrible time to look for a job, because it seemed a lot of other people were also unemployed, and I just wasn't in the mood to interview.  After a couple months, my severance was running out, and it was time for me to just make money.  And it was at that time that I was finally successful in my job hunt.  So I took an offer.  But that company was cheap.  When I tell the story to friends or coworkers, they are shocked at the salary I was earning.  After 9 months, I was digging myself into such debt, I simply couldn't work there anymore.  They told me they valued me a lot, but just weren't willing to loosen those strings.  So, I moved on.  My next job, I was earning $5,000 more a year right off the hop. 
Then, almost 4 years ago, I was offered my current job.  When discussing salary over the phone, I gave them my bottom line.  The guy said "Really?  Cuz we were gonna give you ($1000 more), but hey, we can go with what you want...." "NO!  I'll take it!"  And I took it.  And never once complained about my salary.  Because I would remember that first job, in the same industry,  My starting salary at my current job was $9000 more than that first one.  I did the math, and knew I could survive decently on my salary. 
My company has been very generous to me.  I've never asked for a raise.  Whatever raises I've gotten, were offered, never asked for.  And I accepted graciously.  (I'll give you a tip:  Employers love it when you are truly thankful for what they offer, and you don't complain about it, or them.  They remember this, and will remember it for the next time salary review comes up.  I've been told this once a year since I started.)

A few years back, a couple of coworkers started discussing their salaries.  I work in an industry where there's really no scale, so not everyone earns the same amount.  It's all based on experience, education, and work ethic and ability.  I've never told anyone I work with, or have worked with, what I earn.  The closest I came to talking, was when that first employer called me up and told me they were reconsidering the salary they were offering for my position.  I gave her an honest range for what I was earning, and what it was based on.  Anyways, back to these yappy yahoos.... My employers were pissed.  And they told us, keep talking, and you may lose your job.  I absolutely would not say what I was earning, because I suspected I was at the high end, simply because I saw the work I was doing, and what they were doing, and I knew I deserved higher than them. 

Bottom line is:  If you feel you should be getting more, you need to sit down and think of why.  And one of those "why's" can't be "because my coworkers earn that much."  If you can't come up with any reasons beyond that, then you need to find ways to improve your own bottom line.  Don't expect your employers to do that for you.  Take on more responsibility.  Improve your education.  Show up for work on time, and don't leave early.

Stay tuned for part 2:  "That's not my job."