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1100 Playwright Interviews A Sean Abley Rob Ackerman E.E. Adams Johnna Adams Liz Duffy Adams Tony Adams David Adjmi Keith Josef Adkins Nicc...

Stageplays.com

Apr 12, 2007

Class

At a union meeting yesterday we were to ratify the
agreement the union and university made (I'm an office
worker at a university). I haven't had an increase in
pay since October 2005. I will be getting an increase
finally and it will be retroactive to Feb of this
year. But it's 3 percent. Looking at the schedule
for the next five years according to the agreement,
there is no way we will ever get ahead of inflation.

I mean part of the reason I have this job is to pay
off student loans. It's not a job I have because I
love my work--it's a job for the money. And as jobs
for the money, it sucks, quite frankly.

I am able to pay the monthly installment on my huge
loans and buy food and see occasional plays but I have
nothing left over. I am breaking even. The only
money I have been able to save was the small amount
I'm making from royalties.

So that's my life right now. How are you?

13 comments:

tdawg said...

tell me about it. We're in the same union, gorgeous, and we've gone through the exact same thing.
at least you get royalties!

Anonymous said...

boo hoo hoo!

Adam Szymkowicz said...

yes, HArry. it is very sad. wait, are you mocking me? Wait, is your real name not Harry?

Why don't you go read someone else's blog.

York, I think we need to start a union within our union.

Anonymous said...

That is awful. Could you put your resume out on monster and look for a different job? I mean, office work is office work, right? As much as big corporations suck, they do pay a lot better than universities. I have found that jumping from job to job is the only way to effectively increase your salary and keep up with inflation. I have never gotten more than about 6% as a "merit increase" and it doesn't cut it. 3% is an insult.

Willing to help you spiff up your resume if you are interested-- just came off the job search that helped me land my New York after all.

Adam Szymkowicz said...

Hi Johnna,

I'm looking into a couple of things, but I just may take you up on that offer. Congrats on the job by the way. Hope it's going well.

Jaime said...

Ugh. I wish I were breaking even. I usually feel so lucky to not have to juggle working for money and doing what I love (i.e. my "art"), but I'd probably be making more money temping. The curse of working in the arts - we do it for love, not money, so they don't have to pay us well at all.

Adam Szymkowicz said...

I know it. after 3 years of school for love, i could no longer afford working for nothing. Otherwise, I would still be there. Seriously. Jaime, you would have to be like, Adam get out of my seat. And I'd be like no, I just need to check my email.

Malachy Walsh said...

I try to post regularly about my financials since I think it's an important part of the ordeal of being a writer.

I need to do a new one, but here's the last entry I made:

http://litdept.blogspot.com/2007/01/accountants-truth.html

Jaime said...

I would love to have you around to kick out of my seat. Though we do have a whole bank of intern computers now. But that ruins the rollicking fun I'm imagining.

Adam Szymkowicz said...

you'd be like get off my desk and I would be like I just need to dance a little more after reading this script. You can read it when I'm done dancing.

Jaime said...

May the biggest of my problems be that the scripts are making the script readers dance.

Adam Szymkowicz said...

Well, they were all Neil Labute plays I was dancing about. Thus the seasons that followed.

Jaime said...

Well gosh. Thanks so much.