Do you want to know how much I earn?

Why do companies hate the idea their employees talk to one another about their salaries? What, they wonder, do employers have to hide? 

‘Obviously I earn less than everyone else otherwise it wouldn’t matter that we spoke about how much we earn and who has what benefits’. 

Of course it is now fairly commonplace to know what the directors of a listed company earn. 

If you want to know how much the CEO of MTN earns just read their Annual report. 

Anglo, Naspers, Caxton, Massmart and Kagiso Media all set out what their senior executives earned in the past year, usually specifying basic remuneration from reward systems like bonuses and share options. 

Around the world financial sector executives are being made to squirm as regulatory authorities put their proverbial foot down as to what they may earn—even South African banking executives will have to comply as the world continues to reel from the aftershocks of the big crash of 2009.

This week the COSATU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi had to face an uproar over his salary doubling to R500k per annum and SA Communist Party leader Blade Nzimande had to explain how come as Higher Education Minister he allowed a vehicle to be purchased for his use costing a million bucks (check out http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/article179134.ece for more information).

The private sector has been equally hammered as union demands have gone up—who said to increase their trade union levies to pay for someone’s salary increase? I am sure that isn’t the case and that this is simply a hard capitalist lesson in supply and demand.  With a skills shortage you had better look after the people you have otherwise you will lose them.

South Africa right now has money on its brain—who earns what, why, how often and most importantly why don’t I earn as much as they do?    

And why don’t I earn as much as I did last year? 

Imagine a list of all salaries in your company is circulated by mistake.

What would you do?

What should you do?

If you are interested in what I earn as Managing Director of RadMark (Pty) Ltd, somewhere in my blog is an ‘invitation code’ unlocking this information.  Email the code to me and I will email you back my salary details.  Enjoy the search and have a great week.