Your dreams are valid and can still be made a reality.

7 days ago

After high school I needed to get a job while waiting for admission into college. I needed the job so I could get myself a new phone as well as take care of my needs, as my parents had a lot on their plate back then, and relying on them to do things for me despite seeing how tight things were for them would have been a very bad idea, and I went job hunting. After about 5 days of job hunting, I saw a vacancy at a sachet and bottled water production company, and since the pay was okay based on the job description, time to report to work, and time to dismiss, everything looked okay to me, and I applied.

Since they were desperately in need of a worker at that time, it did not take time to secure the job, and I started work the following day after an interview with the manager, his secretary, and the chief executive officer of the company. The interview session was quite tense, but I was confident I would land the job since I had seen how badly they needed a worker. The work was just like I imagined based on the job description. I report to work at 9am and work in the production room by helping to bag the sachet water while others control the bottled water production, and once it is 4pm, work closes, and all you need to do is round up your work, clean up, and then sign out.

Though I was working, I still had time for myself and to engage in things I love doing, and also, considering the country's economy then, the pay was good even though it was not that good. Three months into the job, things changed because a new sachet water and bottling company was now built just a few miles away from us, so we now had competition, and our delivery guys had to beat these new company guys to deliver to customers, and now we had to report to work at 4am and then close by 9pm. Sometimes we stay at work till 11pm trying to make sure that we produce just enough for the first set of deliveries for the next day.

At that point the pay was no longer worth the stress, and the job description had changed. This is not what we agreed to, and since there was a change from what we initially agreed to, I felt like I deserved a raise both in my daily allowance because I now spend more time at the company and don't even have time to eat at home before coming, so my feeding was completely dependent on the daily allowance. I also needed the raise for my salary, and I started asking questions on how to go about getting a raise and asking other workers to do the same.

"Hey Frank, don't you think we deserve a raise in our pay? The work time has changed, and it needs to reflect on our pay because we now work longer than even agreed upon, at least a little compensation." I said to Frank, one of my fellow workers who I am close with, and I expected him to join me in the movement.

Source

"You want a raise in this company?" Frank asked as he raised his eyebrows with a funny smile on his face, "In this company you only get a raise when pigs fly. I have been working there for 4 good years and so far only got a raise once. What about you that started 3 months ago?" Frank added as the smile he had on his face turned into a laugh of mockery.

"I think my dreams of getting a raise are valid and can still be made a reality." I responded as I walked away from where he was sitting.

I decided to go meet the company's secretary since other workers, who I believe will want to join in on the movement, turned me down with the belief that it is impossible to get a raise in the company since the owners and even the managers of the company are stingy and only want to exploit their workers. On my end, I wanted to try and see if I don't get a raise, and then I will quit and look for another job where the stress and the work done equal the pay.

"Hi Sarah, Good afternoon, I have something I want to ask of you, but I don't know how you will see it." I said to Sarah, the company's secretary,

"Go on, I am all ears; that is exactly why I am here to listen, and if it is within my power, then consider it done." Sarah responded.

"You know the work time changed for us who work in the production room/section and those in the distribution section too, and we now work longer than the others. I was thinking, how about a raise in our pay? How do you see it?" I asked Sarah to hear her opinion.

"Well, what you said is true. I have been a secretary here for about 7 years, and I have only gotten a raise twice, and it was not even a significant amount. I will write to the management, but I will be using your name if you agree. Let's see if you carry enough grace." Sarah said as she chuckled.

"No problem, go ahead and use my name. I don't mind being the sacrificial lamb since it looks like all of you are scared to ask for the raise even though you all need it." I said as I left her office.

A few weeks later, the manager called for a general meeting, and we all showed up wondering why he called for an emergency meeting. In most cases, emergency meetings always result in people getting fired, queried, or even suspended. We just had to be patient to know why he called for this one.

"Good morning, everyone. No need to go through the corners. I see all the effort you all put in to push the company forward, and I and the entire board appreciate you all." The manager said at the start of the meeting. "I got complaints from one of you on the need for a raise in his allowance and pay, and after much deliberation with the other board members, we have agreed to give you all a raise; you all deserve it." The manager added