A question on principles.
My company haven't given me a pay rise in three years, they claim their profits are suffering in the recession and we all have to take a hit. OK, fair enough, everybody's struggling. However, in a few months time they are throwing a sort of awards ceremony to congratulate the best team in the company. Accommodation is provided, the awards thing is in a high-end hotel and it's black tie. They can afford to do this, but not give me a few more quid a month. Interesting.

I've refused to go as I feel that I'm here to do a job, get paid and go home. That's basically the extent of the involvement I want to have as I strongly resent having to work for a living and if I'm doing a good job, I would like that to be reflected in my pay packet, not with a gay award sitting in the office. I'm now getting pressured to attend as I'm apparently not being a team-player.

So on one hand I have my principles saying "this is bullshit" and on the other hand I've got what's probably going to be a fairly entertaining, paid for night out that I'm getting pressured to go to.

What would you do?
( Kroney, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:32, 19 replies, latest was 15 years ago)

One question:
Is it an open bar?
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:34, Reply)

Honestly, I have no idea.
The last thing they did didn't have a bar at all. I would be lying if I said the potential lack of booze wasn't bolstering my principles.
( Kroney, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:39, Reply)

Oh if you can't rinse an open bar it's not worth it

( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:42, Reply)

um, that sounds shit but they will spend the money whether you like it or not
dont let the fact you're not going become a statement as it could cost you more in the long run if you are deemed a pain in the arse.

their game, their rules etc
( zulu eh?, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:36, Reply)

I am ludicrously proud, considering I don't have that much to be proud of.
The idea of backing down isn't a pleasant prospect.
( Kroney, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:40, Reply)

has anyone in the company been given a pay rise in that period?
as in, is it a total pay freeze or are they just not giving out automatic pay rises? if the latter is the case, then be better at your job ;)
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:50, Reply)

Ah, performance bonuses.
We have those. Marvellous things. I, for example, helped to soak up underspend from other parts of the programme, ensuring my area of work brought forward more projects and therefore spent more money, thus helping to prevent the treasury from clawing it back out of this year's budget. This, I felt, constituted as performing at above expectations, thus qualifying me for a non consolidated bonus.

Did it fuck.

As per usual, the usual suspects (i.e. line managers and heads of team) got the award while the people who actually did the bloody work got shag all.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:59, Reply)

Total pay freeze, not even inflationary increases.

( Kroney, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 15:01, Reply)

It's nowt to do with that
it's just considerably cheaper to throw a feck-off party than to give anyone a wage increase.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:47, Reply)

Go but sulk all night.

( girlinthehole, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:39, Reply)

^ This
and ideally leave a jobbie in the boss' pint glass.
(Reverend Fister "a disciplined fuckwit", Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:41, Reply)

that sort of shit is probably tax deductable
which is why they do it. or some bollocks.

I don't particularly like getting involved with work stuff outside work hours either.

but that's because it is shit, not because of principles.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:41, Reply)

I'd go
but then I'm normal and stuff.
(PsychoChomp, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:44, Reply)

I haven't had a pay rise, bar a few tiny inflationary ones, in 8 years
stop whining.

And, yeah, go. Are you in the best performing team in the country?
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:44, Reply)

Go.
Remember it's all about the networking, smiling and congratulating everyone else.
Fuck principles, it's all a game and you need to know the rules and play by them.
Or be happy where you are.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:45, Reply)

I'd go.
You might as well get something back if you haven't had a pay rise for a while; a night in a decent hotel is probably worth putting up with.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:47, Reply)

This could be an excellent opportunity to network with the key players in your industry
A chance to push forward the brand of ‘you’ as a proactive win-win team player.


I jest. Tell them to stick the whole thing up their collective arseholes.
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 14:47, Reply)

you're never going to take on your employer and win
best case scenario - you miss a piss-up

worst case scenario - they mark you down on your appraisal as not being willing to get on with colleagues etc and use it as another excuse not to give you a rise/get rid of you
( rachelswipe with a fork, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 15:40, Reply)

Takes the piss, doesn't it.
Now I've calmed down a bit, I can see that this is probably going to be the case. I hate backing down, though.
( Kroney, Wed 19 Jan 2011, 16:15, Reply)