WWYD - Found out about unfair salaries at my workplace

[HamptonsBasket]

Today my (very credible and trusted) colleague and personal friend told me she discussed salaries openly with a number of our junior colleagues. Turns out we're being royally shafted, with some junior colleagues being paid in her case more than her, in my case (I am more senior than her), nearly the same - despite all of them being lower grade and less experienced.

The profession we're in is hierarchical. The whole thing is frankly a pisstake, the firm decided seemingly to pay juniors more to make sure they don't leave too quickly after their training. Meanwhile, the more senior staff like us are being fucked over.

My dilemma: do I rock the boat and speak to my boss? Tried that previously and he was an arsehole, sent me to the CEO, so I gave up. Meanwhile, the junior colleague in my team who is on nearly exactly the same salary as me is clearly his favourite over me (a separate issue). She is also pretty shit at her job (albeit she has improved a bit) and immature, but he doesn't see through her. Speaking to him will likely take me nowhere.

I have a young DC and work compressed hrs. Do I look for a new job which might be challenging on these hrs and would likely be based in a different city approx. 1-1.5 hrs away (that's where the better paid jobs are in my sector)?

Do I put up and shut up?

I am so passed off right now. WWYD, please?

YABU - Speak to your boss
YANBU - Look for a job further away
Stay silent/otherwise - please post

@Airdustmoon So, so true, everything you've said. I'm 7 PQE (and 7 years in a variety of business and in house legal roles before I qualified). I'm a Senior Associate now and the firm is theoretically very supportive, offering training opportunities and accelerated progression to partnership because apparently I'm good enough for the titles, but not good enough for a higher salary. Go figure!

Ask for the money, OP.

But first, go to a recruiter, or preferably several recruiters, and try to carry out some sort of benchmarking exercise.

Ask for a meeting with your line manager and go in armed with facts and data about what the market rate is for someone at your level, as well as any relevant information about your own performance and the hours you're working that would justify you being paid more. Obviously how much you're billing will be a key factor but don't forget to mention all your non chargeable stuff like supervision, pro bono, BD etc.

Say you'd like to stay with the firm but you are feeling undervalued at the moment, and that combined with the lack of transparency over the pay structure is an issue for you.

I don't know about your practice area, but would in house be an option for you? If so, a decent recruiter might be able to find you another job on better money without massively increasing your commute.