My Boss makes Less than Me and gets screwed hard and fast like a 6" wood screw when budget cuts are made?

  How is it possible that the man who is responsible for ensuring I do my job and do it right, makes less money than I do?  As an employee for the state of Illinois D.O.T.   I make a very good salary but my boss/field technician makes half the money I do.  How is that possible?

  I'll tell you, for better or worse I am a member of the Teamster's Union and gain their protection and bartering skills when it comes to negotiating new contracts and grievances.   My Boss is not a union member, and because he is in a management position, cannot attain union membership.  He does not have the same powerful lobbying force and lawyer team standing behind him.

  This past year when the governor decided to give his staff a raise, he had to cut expenses in other places.  So my boss who has no real power/pull on these decisions takes it in the can.  As a reward for his hard work and diligence and doing more with less my boss was given a pay cut of at least one months wages so he could help pay the raises given to the governor's staff.   And he's not the only one all of the non-union managers that I know got the same deal.   They have all been required to take 24 days off without pay, effectively one month with no pay.

  Isn't it great how we all feel the pain when hard times hit?  It's just great that as a team we all do our part to help the state balance its budget and get back on the right track.

So much for the fair deal!  Fair treatment!

Yes, I know that my boss should be grateful to still have a job and a semi stable source of income, but who knows when they may decide that they need more fat at the top and his services are no-longer necessary.

  Only a few years ago I heard about how the governor's mansion needed to be redecorated and updated because the styles were outdated.  That was back in the day's of good old Rod G.  I think that took about 2 million dollars.  Then there was the road side wild flowers another couple of hundred thousand dollars.  I am totally amazed at how our swanky politicians waste our tax dollars on frivolous crap and then decide the only way to solve a budget crunch is by screwing the people with no power and raising taxes.

  I used to think politicians were the leaders of our government but great leaders, lead by example.  I haven't seen a real leader in Illinois politics for over 10 years.  The last possible leader Illinois had was Jim Edgar but I really can't vouch for him, because I didn't follow the news closely back then.

How long will our ship sail without a LEADER, before it runs aground or breaks up on the reef?
Only time will tell.