talking about salary is taboo a lot of places, and it probably plays to employers' benefit... When a coworker of mine was likely to leave, he was given a raise, to not significantly more than what I was getting, but more... I'd been there like 4 or 5 years longer.

I got about half the difference when I got my degree (he got his just before he left) and browbeat people for a year to get some more, specifically reminding them what he was getting and that I started in 1995.

I got what I wanted, but then I got a second jjob (at consulting rates ) and just stopped caring. Speaking of that, I wonder if they're behind on checks because they're doing tax crap?