<prompt> Human: Hello everyone,Background: I work at a department store and I feel that Im currently being underpaid for the work I do. Here are some important pieces of background information:1. Company Hierarchy. The department manager runs the department I work in head honcho pretty much has a few managers above him he will be referred to as the 1 from here on. Next we have the 1s assistant hell be called the 2. Then we have the next step down who generally can do everything the 2 does but lacks a bit of tenure, hell be called the 3. Next is the two shift supervisors whom well call PICs. In between PICs and the next category are specialists that hold no authority over the lower but have more responsibility. After that we have young adults that fill the position of clerk. Finally we have parcels who are similar to clerks but are underage and as such dont do everything a clerk does.2. Pay Scale. My store is unionized and therefore we only have 3 steps for people below PICs and specialists. The steps are as follows: 16, 12.50, and 11.60. Typically people starting out get paid the 11.60, Journeymen clerks who are pretty much on par with specialists but arent specialized and have been with the company for a good while are paid the 16, and anyone in-between is paid the 12.50. Furthermore, I believe there is an hour limit tied to each of these pay steps thanks to the union.My Gripes or why I feel I deserve a raise:1. The 2 and the PICs all say that I do amazing work, agree that Im one of the hardest working clerks, and that Im underpaid. I dont normally work with the 3 but he seems pleased by my work too. I rarely if ever work with the 1 because he typically opens and I close therefore he doesnt have much of an opinion of me. The 1 is also the person I would have to negotiate a raise with.2. One of my coworkers is a clerk and paid at the 12.50 step. The 2 and the PICs also say that I outperform him by a considerable margin, to the point that I almost do twice the amount of work he does. I think he is only paid this next step because hes been with the company for awhile and started at a parcel.3. I have an associates degree and no one else in my department has a degree of any sort. Also going into my fourth year of college but still have two more years due to the postgrad work Im doing.4. Another one of my coworkers who got hired the same day as me and at the same pay step just got a promotion to a specialist position and getting paid at 16.Conclusion:I think I deserve to be paid about 14 but as I said before there is no such pay step due to the union. I firmly believe I should be paid than the coworker who is a clerk alongside me. Am I justified in these beliefs? Do I ask for journeyman and if I dont get it start looking for another job? How should I negotiate a raise?  <response>: Unfortunately if the pay youre looking for at your position literally doesnt exist, then you are out of luck. The company is held to your unions collective bargaining agreement. Which doesnt sound great if theres a fixed pay with no increases between promotions, but if thats what it is, thats what it is. Its a contract. Your options in this situation are to be promoted into a higher pay class or to find work elsewhere, unfortunately. 