Vault: Their coworker got a raise, so now they want one too

Summary

The Bert Show – Episode Summary Episode: Vault: Their coworker got a raise, so now they want one too
Date: June 4, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Bert Show dives into the tricky dynamics of workplace raises and the courage it takes to ask for one. The focal point: Sally, a listener, inspired by her coworker's raise (and perhaps a bit of liquid courage), decides with another colleague to confront their boss together and “demand” raises. The Bert Show cast—Burt, Jeff, Bretzky, Melissa, Val, and call-in listeners—debate the wisdom, risks, and professionalism of Sally’s plan while sharing real talk on how to approach salary negotiations.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Sally’s Story: The Motivation for a Raise

• Sally describes being triggered after learning her coworker got a raise and is buying a house, sparking her and another coworker—who also didn’t receive a raise—to plot a joint effort in asking their boss for more pay (01:07–02:13).
• Key Insight: The urge to ask for a raise is amplified by seeing peers advance and by conversations outside of work, especially over drinks.

Should You Ask for a Raise With a Partner?

• Debate arises on whether marching into the boss's office as a united front (“demanding” together) is powerful or unprofessional.
• Jeff cautions: “Here’s my suggestion: Go in by yourself… you’ve got a much better chance of actually getting the raise if you’re only speaking for yourself.” (02:56)
• Burt adds: Doing it “hand in hand” seems “very schoolgirl” and adversarial (03:05–04:00).
• Melissa doubles down: “You’re talking about your salary. You need to go in and talk about your salary,” emphasizing individuality in negotiations (04:18).

Gender and Negotiation Fatigue

• Burt points out: “This is harder for women to do than it is for guys to do.” (02:35)
• The cast acknowledges different cultural and gender dynamics at play when asking for more at work.

The Job Market Reality Check

• Jeff delivers a reality check: “So many people with so much experience are out of work right now… If you pitch a fit, they can replace you with somebody who’s probably got more education, more experience, and would cost less.” (03:32)
• Cast discusses that now is a tough time to negotiate due to the labor market, even if the company is doing well (04:44–05:29).

Are You Really Worth a Raise?

• Val (caller) critiques: “If you deserved a raise, you would have got a raise… When you exceed and overachieve, then you deserve a raise, sweet pea.” (10:16–11:09)
• Burt lightly quips: “Val, if you were the boss, I wouldn’t ask for a raise!” (11:09)

Why Going in Pairs Can Backfire

• Jeff and Melissa stress: Going together looks “unprofessional and immature”—and if one’s not as strong as the other, both could lose out (07:18–07:26).
• Listeners and hosts agree that while strength in numbers sounds appealing, raises are individual achievements and should be sought accordingly.

Bringing Family or Friends Is a No-Go

• The sequence turns lighthearted as they imagine bringing a parent or spouse into salary negotiations—universally panned as “sad” and even less advisable than going as coworkers (09:39–10:07).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sally (on motivation): “I was all triggered because I was out with two of my coworkers… One mentioned that she’s buying a house… she just got a raise right before the holidays.” (01:13)
• Jeff (on strategy): “Always sounds like a great plan after a few. You have got all the courage in the world. I am marching in there and getting what I deserve.” (02:15)
• Bretzky (on ‘devising a plan’): “Nothing good ever follows the phrase ‘devise a plan.’” (02:39)
• Melissa (on professionalism): “You’re talking about your salary. You need to go in and talk about your salary.” (04:18)
• Jeff (on market reality): “So many people with so much experience are out of work right now… If you go in there and pitch a fit, they can replace you…” (03:32)
• Val (caller): “If you deserved a raise, you would have got a raise. It doesn’t sound like you work all that hard. You do your job. That’s what they hired you at that rate, to do your job…” (10:16)
• Burt (humorous retort): “Val, if you were the boss, I wouldn’t ask for a raise. No, I would stay at the same salary my entire life.” (11:09)

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Listener Reactions & Further Advice

• Beth (caller): Warns that going in together could hurt Sally’s chances if the coworker isn’t as strong an employee (06:56–07:07).
• Kayla (caller): Offers a sobering take suggesting Sally should just be grateful to have a job in this economy (07:39–07:49).
• Joel (caller): Shares a related story about HR preferring to speak with employees one-on-one, even in difficult situations (08:43–09:28).

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Episode Structure & Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:07] Sally shares her motivation and plan
• [02:13] Sally and coworker to “demand” raises together
• [02:56] Jeff’s advice: go in alone
• [03:32] The state of the job market & risks
• [04:18] Melissa advocates for solo negotiation
• [06:56] Listener call: dangers of a joint ask
• [07:39] Listener: “just be thankful to have a job”
• [10:16] Val’s blunt criteria for a raise
• [11:20] Sally confirms she’ll do it; hosts bid her luck

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Conclusion & Takeaways

The consensus among The Bert Show and callers: Don’t go into salary negotiations as a group. Raises are earned by individual merit; joint demands can backfire and look unprofessional. The show balances light-hearted banter with solid workplace wisdom, all while rooting for Sally—not for her plan, but for her initiative. The episode closes with Sally determined to press ahead and The Bert Show teasing a follow-up on her outcome.

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Missed the episode? This summary covers all the real talk, advice, and laughter, with no need to fast-forward through ads or small talk.

Transcript

[Bretzky]

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[Burt]

Hey Sally, Good morning.

[Sally]

Hey, good morning.

[Burt]

How are you today?

[Sally]

I'm good. I'm kinda a little nervous but I'm good.

[Burt]

Jeff dollar has inspired you the last week. You need a raise.

[Sally]

I do, I do. And you know, I've been, you know, hearing obviously about what's been going on and I was, I was all triggered because I was out with two of my co workers the other night. We went out to dinner and we had a couple of drinks and one of the co workers, one of my co workers had mentioned that she's buying a house and we were really happy for her, et cetera. And when asked how she's able to do that because things are tight for everybody, she mentioned that she just got a raise right before the holidays.

[Jeff]

Awesome.

[Sally]

And you know, my other co worker and I, the one we didn't use, she and I did not get a raise. And so, you know, we were out in the parking lot and my coworker who did get a raise, she left. The other coworker who didn't get the raise and I, we were out there talking and we devised a plan that we're going to go into the boss's office today and demand a raise.

[Burt]

Demand a raise.

[Jeff]

Always sounds like a great plan after a few. You have got all the courage in the world. I am marching in there and getting what I deserve.

[Bretzky]

Well, she's sober now and that's the scary part.

[Sally]

Yeah, yeah, I'm a little nervous so. But you know, at least I'm being proactive about it and I'm standing up for myself. So we're going in there together.

[Burt]

Just for the record, this is harder for women to do than it is for guys to do.

[Bretzky]

Nothing good ever follows the phrase devise a plan. Like, you never. Like nobody ever says, you know what? I've devised a plan to retile my laundry room. It's always like, I've devised a plan to go in. We're gonna march in there.

[Sally]

Yeah.

[Jeff]

Here's my suggestion is to go in by yourself. Because I think you've got a much better chance of actually getting the raise if you're only speaking for yourself.

[Burt]

It seems. It does seem very schoolgirl to go in there hand in hand.

[Sally]

Yeah, right. But we figured, you know, they cannot afford to lose the both of us. And it's not funny, obviously, to give. Give raises, especially before the holiday.

[Val]

I don't know about that.

[Burt]

Strength in numbers is what she's thinking.

[Jeff]

Well, everyone's replaceable.

[Sally]

I don't know. We do. We do a great job, and, you know, I'm part of a great team, and we deserve it.

[Jeff]

You got to remember, though, so many people with so much experience are out of work right now and that they could replace you with somebody who probably has 10 more years of experience, who's on the unemployment list right now because their company downsized or whatever it was last year. I mean, so many people lost their jobs. Very overqualified people are taking lesser jobs these days because they're looking for work. So if you go in there and pitch a fit, they can replace you with somebody who's probably got more education, more experience, and would cost less.

[Burt]

And it sounds. The attitude, the tone to me feels adversarial immediately. Like you're going in demanding a raise. You guys are going in there together. If I'm the boss and I'm behind the desk and it's me you're talking to, I'm immediately sort of defensive, and it seems unprofessional.

[Melissa]

The two of you together.

[Jeff]

Yeah.

[Melissa]

I mean, you're talking about your salary. You need to go in and talk about your salary.

[Bretzky]

But that's what I. Because I understand that, you know, the two. They can't get rid of both of us. Because I said that if I, you know, something happened to me, I would kill Melissa. So it was actually like the two of us. I was gonna take her out. Cause she seemed, you know, she more valuable to the show than I did.

[Burt]

Well, you already started poisoning her. Listen to her voice.

[Melissa]

I know I'm struggling this morning, so thank you, Jeff. I don't know where to put my coffee.

[Sally]

We're basically being economic with our boss's time. We're just saving him time by doing it together because we have, you know, we saw, you know, we know what Jeff did and he looked at, you know, what he's worthy, checked his, you know, you know, checked around and we've been doing the same thing. And in a, in a stronger market, granted, we are, we're worth a certain amount, but things are picking back up and our company has done very well and there's no reason why, why we don't deserve it. We get there on time, we do a good job. We're asked what, you know, we, we do what we're asked to do and we do it well. And, and I'm a strong, independent woman and.

[Bretzky]

But I'm going in there with someone else.

[Burt]

Right, right.

[Bretzky]

Strong and I'm independent, but I just gotta, if somebody.

[Melissa]

I can't talk to you one on one.

[Burt]

Are you, are you ready to, are you ready to go to another company? I mean, you have to really go in there with the attitude that, look, he may say no, but if he does, that's fine, I'll just go somewhere else.

[Sally]

No, there's no reason why they would get rid of me just for asking for something that I deserve. And with my partner as well, my

[Bretzky]

co worker, I'd like to beg to

[Jeff]

differ, but are you in a position of the company that you make money for the company or do you spend money of the companies?

[Sally]

Well, I'd rather not say because I don't really want to give too much away because

[Jeff]

I'm just wondering if you are a big top earner for the company. You may have more, you're not in sales or.

[Sally]

No, no, no, nothing like that. And I, you know, I'm not, we're not, it's not a law firm, but I'm very, I'm very cautious with, you know, you know where the money is in the company. So, you know, I don't. I'm a good employee and deserve it,

[Jeff]

but are you a great employee?

[Sally]

I think I'm a great employee.

[Burt]

I guess we're going to find out on Monday.

[Sally]

I don't think that my co worker who got the raise is any better than I am. And therefore I think we're on equal playing ground. And I deserve it too.

[Burt]

Here's Beth. Good morning, beth. You're on q100.

[Val]

Hey, my thought is if you go

[Joel]

in together and the other girl is not up to par and you are, you may not get a raise based on the fact that the other girl is not. You go in together, you take your chances there.

[Bretzky]

Unless you are. So Unless you're convinced the other girl's better than you and you're thinking, well, you know what, if I go in with her, she brings me up.

[Burt]

Yeah. Could be a good strategic sort of survivor type tactic.

[Jeff]

No, I think they both get punished if they go in together. I think it's going to be seen as unprofessional and immature, and I think they're both going to. What?

[Melissa]

Two guys walk into a boss's office together and say, we want to raise?

[Burt]

Would be unheard of.

[Val]

Unless.

[Burt]

Unless, like, the entire department went in. Maybe. I don't know.

[Melissa]

But one guy's not going to say, hey, dude, you want to come in here with me and help ask for a raise? No.

[Burt]

Here's Kayla. Good morning. You're on a Q100 high.

[Joel]

Yeah.

[Val]

My comment is I just. I think that she should just be thankful she has a job.

[Jeff]

Well, you know, I'm sure a lot of people feel like you do.

[Burt]

Yeah, I mean, we got that call and, you know, we got that email this week when we were talking about Jeff also. And. Yeah, I don't think it necessarily has to work that way. I mean, I don't.

[Jeff]

I don't think so either.

[Burt]

Yeah, the economy sucks, for sure. But, you know, if you think you deserve the raise and the company needs you, then you got to do what you got to do for your family.

[Val]

Well, yeah, I mean, it's a. You know, it's good that she has the courage to go in there and do it, but she's just doing it in a very immature way, and she's just talking in an immature way about it all.

[Melissa]

Yeah. And the thing is, like, she. It was over a conversation over cocktails. You know what I mean? It's not like. I mean, Bert made the comment.

[Burt]

Yeah.

[Melissa]

I mean, you do what's best for your family, but if you're in a position where you're like, you know what? We really need this raise, so I'm going to go in and ask for it. That's one thing. But to come up with this idea as girlfriends over cocktails and we're going to go do this together and it'll be awesome, is unprofessional. Completely.

[Burt]

Here's Joel. Good morning, Joel. You're part of the Burt Show. Hi.

[Joel]

Hey, guys. I've had the same situation about needing to talk to or my wife needed to talk to her boss or HR about things within her job. And I would suggest that she not go in with anybody else, because a lot of times they won't even let you come in. The HR department and a couple of places I've been because of some issues have not let me come in with my wife in her job. So I know it wasn't an employee there, but at the same time, they like to speak to people one on one about their job.

[Jeff]

Wait a second. You went in with your wife?

[Joel]

Yeah, it's kind of complicated with. It's a disability thing they were doing. It wasn't just, like, raising pay. It was, like, you know, not treating her correctly according to ADA rules and stuff, so.

[Jeff]

Okay, okay, I gotcha.

[Burt]

So it wasn't like, this chivalrous. She can't do it, so I'm gonna do it. Can you imagine having your wife or husband or your mother or father ask for the raise for you?

[Jeff]

That's even worse.

[Val]

One call.

[Melissa]

That's all it takes.

[Jeff]

One call.

[Melissa]

If your parent asks for your raise, I've got to talk to you.

[Bretzky]

March into the Chick Fil.

[Melissa]

A parent's worse, I think. Parents worse.

[Jeff]

Oh, parents way worse. But can you imagine if Stacy came in with Bert to negotiate his deal?

[Burt]

Well, at that point, had I seen,

[Bretzky]

I was gonna say, you know, And I think that actually has happened.

[Burt]

The only reason why I would do that is, like, if I knew that I was leaving the company, you go for it, baby. Remember Lindsay's mom used to call in sick four, so why not?

[Jeff]

Like, that's just sad. That's kind of funny.

[Burt]

Here is Val. Good morning. You are on Q100.

[Val]

Hey, if you deserved a raise, you would have got a raise. It doesn't sound like you work all that hard. You do your job. That's what they hired you at that rate, to do your job. When you go above and beyond and you come in early and you stay late, and you bring coffee for the team and you take on work that's not yours, then you should get a raise, honey. And I know this because I'm that worker that pisses me off that you come in and you think you deserve a raise and you don't work that hard.

[Burt]

How do you know that? Like, I do think there are.

[Val]

You asked her, why do you deserve a raise? And her list was, I do my job. And Jeff said, are you a great worker? Or Melissa said, are you a great worker? I think I'm a great worker. No. Does your boss pat you on the head every day and say, you're so freaking awesome? What am I going to do without you. No, you don't deserve a raise. You do your job and nothing more. When you exceed and overachieve, then you deserve a raise. Sweet pea.

[Burt]

Val, if you were the boss, I wouldn't ask for a raise. No, I would stay at the same salary my entire life.

[Bretzky]

I would actually not even go near your office.

[Jeff]

I would give her a raise.

[Bretzky]

Yes. All right.

[Burt]

Hey, Sally, let's talk to you on Monday morning if you have the time. If you're not sleeping in because you got fired, we would love to talk to you on Monday morning to find out how it went.

[Bretzky]

We'll talk to you either at 7:45 or 9:45, depending on when you get up.

[Sally]

All right, I'm doing it.

[Burt]

All right, so you're going in there with your co worker and the two of you will demand a race shoulder to shoulder today.

[Sally]

Yep. At noon.

[Burt]

Good luck with that. All right, we'll talk to you on Monday night. The Bird Show.

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