For a lot of people, $25 an hour is a lot, but, of course, at his old job, he made much more than that. When his school’s owners decided to close the school, he just wanted some part time work without the Chicago drive time, and this present job is 15 minutes away. They’re writing a grant for him to be associate director, and he’ll get a big raise, but my point was that many people who work in college or university jobs, even in big cities, make a relatively low wage.
I understand and appreciate that. I guess I was trying to make the point that the free market will not pay more for labor than it has to.
We hear about how people in this job or the other are “underpaid.” Undervalued, is more accurate. But if there were not people willing to do the job for the price paid…the price would go up.
My daughter is an adjunct professor at two universities (and will add one more next semester). They all say they like her, but won’t give her those three more credit hours that comes with being an employee. So, she has to scramble.
And if she decided to not do it…they would simply move on down the list.
It makes me sad for her, but in her chosen field…this is how it goes.
I was always a corporate guy. After my second promotion, I was in awe that anyone would pay me what they did. And after a couple more, I knew the company was getting ripped off—because I worked hard for a lot less time.