I work with organizations to make them anti-oppressive and here are the top 3 excuses organizations give me about why they don’t have pay transparency
1. “We shouldn’t talk about money, that’s private.”
Reality: This is the same excuse that has been used to prevent conversations about race and racism. Silencing conversations about salary and pay is an attempt to disempower and silo staff. It is also a key characteristic of paternalism and power hoarding.
2. “The people who are making less money are going to be embarrassed.”
Reality: The people who are making more money are fearful that others will see the discrepancy and inequity. While not everyone might need to make the same amount, there does need to be a clear and transparent pathway of why and how one’s pay is what it is. In most cases, those making more know that does not exist.
3. “It’s going to create a culture of mistrust because people will be talking about their salaries all the time.”
Reality: If salaries are transparent people will already know everyone’s salaries. Staff won’t be talking about their salaries but instead will be talking about how to organize and advocate for themselves for fair and equitable working conditions. This makes those in power fearful.
All three of these excuses use fear-mongering, gas lighting, and silencing.
Pay and salary transparency should be a given.
In the future when people look back they will find it hard to believe that it was not indeed a given and that people had to fight for it.
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