Seriously? A dollar raise now doesn't even keep up with average inflation at the end of that 37 years the dollar raise would do nothing for anyone. I think our raises should be percentage based as opposed to dollars and cents.
Currently inflation is only 1.7% and $1/hr is almost a 3% raise. Historically, $1/hr is the best you're going to get. You get to decide your actual raise by the amount of hours you work. Most annual wage increases have been under $1/hr.
My response was only slightly tongue-in-cheek to Hoaxster. The Company does buy the length of the contract, which is why you saw $4 over the last 5 year agreement. Contrast that to 1990 when a 3 year agreement only produced a $0.50 raise. I'll take the buck thanks.
I wouldn't get too greedy as far as you wage goes. We are paid pretty well and if we get into the excessive category it will just be used against us. Witness the backlash against UAW workers that in many cases make less than we do per hour. By the same token, the fact that the Company is willing to pay anyone triple time, ~$90/hr to do the exact same work says to me that you could make the argument we are underpaid. Problem is that gets hidden via the grievance payout method. At straight time that would make this an $187k/yr job and that is going to be a tough sell to say the least.