T2>>Because they can, they may act out of spite and let you go if you insist upon pay adjustments to compensate for rising costs or inflation.

See, you want a pay rise just because times are tough. Just remember, times may also be tough for your employer, however you have not told us whether they are large or small.

Wages, like any expense, comes out of profits and, if profits are down, how can you expect to have a bonus, simply because it's getting tough to live.

Now as for your shot at me, well, I have had a few workers who are better than I was. But, at the end of the day, if you are good at what you do and you do provide the employer with value for money, then you should have little problem in either getting a better deal, or finding a better employer, as good workers are getting harder to find.

Belly>>It takes guts but if you only act in fairness at all times you will be protected by the system but acting has to be first step.

That's good advice. I hate employers who rip staff off, just as much as I hate lazy workers who do the same.

I am a pretty hard boss as I am extremely fussy, however, I do pay well for the right person and the wrong people simply don't have a job with me.

I select the best and pay them well.

BTW, you have six years to make a claim. Why on earth you have waited nine is beyond me.

My advise is simplar to bellies. Bring it to your bosses attention but make sure you have real facts, not just assumptions.

A reasonable boss will listen to your concerns as we know that to go against FWA usually costs a grand or two, and that's if we are in the right.

No costs for thinker 2 to take it to FWA if it was as you say unionism would be the answer.
Many bosses are very good blokes,after so many years my guess is this bloke is not one of them.
DO NOT GO TO HIM, such victimize and find ways to get rid of you.
Act with honesty but act,such a boss can not be trusted.
B O O T test is the rule use it

Of course the core of your argument is sound Rehctub and I very much appreciate both your, and Bellys advice. But fundamentally, I am referring to the underlying principal structure that my father fought for and believed in. Things he considered sacrosanct.

And I am sure as an employer Rehctub that you are both fair and demanding. As an employee I would appreciate these qualities. In fact consider them tantamount in a good relationship.

Strangely in my own life, it has been my own decision making that has served me worst.

Once I was offered a job by a major publisher to do what it is that I actually do best. I knocked it back. Even to this day I have an inherent ability to do this thing I do best.
(it's a long story) I won't bore you with it.

My skill or inherent talent can be converted into productivity in other things that I am not so good at. Even things that I am quite poor at Rehctub, things I do in what is euphemistically titled "a day job" in order that someone else's understanding of my best interests/attributes can be served. Despite all of this wasted time and confusion , I still perform in a productivity sense, "above the average".

I don't claim to understand , how any of this works ? or really care that much. But I would love in a perfect world , more time to do what it is, that I do best.

I would have no chance being able to do the things I have to do, on a daily basis, without the support of those around me.

As I said Rehctub, my own decision making has prevented me from doing the thing I do best. I've had the opportunity.

con't...

My employers during the "fish out of water phase" in my own life that I now experience, have been mostly supportive and understanding. I do indeed understand, where it is, your coming from Rehctub.

But for those without talent (or notable talent), it is still important to preserve their standard of living.
They are a large, an essential part of the economic fabric.

I still think that changes made by Howard are producing a lowest common denominator effect in our economy.
Job conditions worsening (as evidenced by the offshore rig marine painting scandal) or ( the Toorak couple that had been massively underpaying employees, in chain stores, whilst living in up, in a lap of luxury).

Prices "without attachment to costs" in fact with no apparent set of rules, continue to rise dramatically without any carbon tax bogey,
and will continue to do so until somebody puts a stop to it.

The gap between the haves and the have nots, is widening exponentially.
But more damaging, an even smaller number of "have mores" are having more than ever,
without any obvious justification or social benefit to the fabric as a whole.

Ah belly, union thuggery at its best. Shoot first, ask questions later.

Remember T2, we are talking about 24 cents per hour underpayment. Very easy to make this mistake.

I think bellys last post is the main cause of why bosses hate unions.

There is a chance that your boss is unaware of any under payment, esspecially given that it represents about 24 cents per hour on a 38 hour week.

I still suggest you speak to them, however, nine years is a very long time to have left this unchallenged.

To the best of my knowledge you have six years to make a claim.

My suggestion is you offer a settlement to your boss of six years.

I say this may be an oversight because of the complexity of our wage system. Believe me, it is a nightmare to navigate through and even when you call for assistance from the authorities, such advise can also be wrong as even the ombudsman can't always interpret the awards correctly.

In fact, we had a case where they threatened us with legal action as they had stated we had under paid causals.

They claimed that a casuals overtime rate should be loading added to their normal casual rate, but we had to go to huge lengths to prove them wrong and we receive nothing for our out of pocket expenses for proving our innocence. Another grand or so wasted due to incompetence in the public service.

Now as a final point of interest, are you a smoker and did you take smoke breaks in addition to normal breaks?

Now if you did, do you think those smoke breaks were worth the $1.80 per day you were underpaid?

To extrapolate in the equal and opposite direction Rehctub the amount being, actually 30c an hour, gives a clearer picture of what it is, that is actually occurring here.

This mistake to which you refer Rehctub, to the employee, is about $570 a year in lost income/entitlements and continues with no solution in sight. At the income level that I am talking about Rehctub, this is a crisis, when you are trying to deal with the increases in fuel and energy/essential services at the same time.

I propose to you, that there should be a restoration of rights, particularly in the workplace, where people are working more and more hours for less and less rewards. With a continuing and reducing capacity to service their own personal debt through hard work.

"The incentive" can no longer realistically be, eventual freedom from the treadmill.
Most working people "in this country" today, will never experience financial freedom.
Most may not even own a home, ever.

Having said this I will continue to point out, that no one in Govt today of either political persuasion is ensuring, through law, or enforcement of any such law, the rights that preserve living standards, anymore.

The Australian dream is a lost treasure of a past life, something for future generations to worship, or aspire too perhaps ?.
Or could we do something about reversing this trend.

By at least policing what remains, at best a tattered set of instruments left since the Howard reign.