Are there any downsides from going from Conductor position to Management at Norfolk Southern? Is the pay less?

How far do I chase this pay increase?

• Was told by no less than 3 manager types, when I started my new job 4 months ago, that after a month of training and orientation, I should expect a bump in pay. Turns out, they meant other people are to expect the pay increase, not me. The company is an international nonprofit human service organization, and I took an hourly position in a lead role. I spent a training period with others who were in a support role, I was the only lead. The misunderstanding/miscommunication (now, feels a bit like manipulation) began at the time I was presented with the terms of my contract. The terms say nothing about a pay increase, but the recruiter on the phone said a bump in pay was what they do after certain criteria were met through training. The recruiter also gave me a starting offer at 5% above typical starting pay for my position, based on my previous experience. I'll add here that this company is practically desperate to hire people. They are doing a big hiring campaign, and offer sizable referral bonuses around new hires. Throughout the couple weeks I spent doing in-classroom type training, more than one instructor also motivated us by dangling this pay increase before us. Again, I was the only lead in the the class, but I had no reason to think the raise didn't pertain to me. I hit the ground running at on the work site. I think I've done a bang up job and people (higher up) know me. I met the criteria necessary for a raise, and my supervisor told me she would submit the paperwork to get me my increase. This was back in December. I had already met eligibility requirements (before she got around to submitting the papers), so even then I was gently inquiring about retroactive pay. Then... I backed off. I waited to see the change in my pay stub. Wasn't seeing the change. I knew my manager was putting out many fires, and I waited patiently, letting payroll et al do their thing to properly compensate me. Then... I sort of forgot to scrutinize my paychecks. I let it go. Work was so busy, I was bagging overtime, and the whole month of January flew by where I was still at my starting wage and not thinking much about it. Finally, this month I mentioned to my manager, Hey, I'm still at my starting pay. Yikes, right?! She was horrified and said she'd address it with HR. In the end, I spoke to HR on the phone myself. The rep was actually a good listener, and timely in her responses to me, but what I heard was -- "Sorry." People in the lead position don't get a pay increase after training and meeting the "criteria" -- Only the support folks have that incentive, and, anyway, I started at higher pay so I'm making more than a typical starting lead, BUT-- I am welcome to take it up with the regional director. The regional director knows me. And, it's my job to advocate for people who cannot advocate for themselves. Should I meet with the RD and advocate for myself ("I was told... I have exceeded expectations...")? Or, do I let it go? If I don't let this go, how do I approach the RD? What do I say? Also, there was never a dollar amount named in this pay bump, but people in support roles' increase was about 8% (according to the HR rep I spoke with). Thank you for reading. If I am going to take this up with the RD I need to do it tomorrow (Monday) or I will really be dragging my feet. The conversation I had with HR took place on Friday.

• Answer:

  You absolutely need to take this up with the RD. That pay increase was part of why you took the job, right? Getting paid $X is nice, but part of your calculus of whether you would take the job and do great things for this organization was that you'd make $X+Y. So go to the RD and say, "I was promised this raise by my supervisor. When can I expect it?" Don't talk about the recruiter, don't talk about the trainers, don't talk about anything but how your supervisor told you that you would get the raise on December 14th (or whatever), so when will you see it? If the RD comes back with "Sorry, HR says leads don't get that raise," then you reply with "The recruiter said I would, and the trainers said I would, and frankly, I'm feeling like I got tricked into taking this job by being sold $X+Y, but I'm only making $X."