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Fast Company
4 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
Why are architects so underpaid? Here are 4 reasons, plus one way to fix it
Architects have long complained about the industry's relatively paltry pay. Given the amount of expensive education architects require (master's level), and the years they have to put in (many) before qualifying to take a licensure exam (arduous), they have been rightly upset: Architects can barely expect to crack the $100,000 salary mark after more than eight years in the profession. Now there are some numbers to back that up. Compared to every other design descipline Fast Company has studied in our our ongoing analysis of where the design jobs are, architects are underpaid, particularly as their careers progress. Their compensation increases at the slowest rate, based on years of experience. Fixing the problem requires a nuanced understanding of the outside factors that limit pay, according to Evelyn Lee, president of the American Institute of Architects. 'Architecture is an industry that's always been known to work within tight margins,' she says. Part of the reason is that the industry long ago set standardized fee structures—basically a percentage of overall construction costs—and those numbers haven't changed much. 'Our ability to get paid more is tied back to that,' Lee says. Architecture is also tied to economic cycles, and it can be a bellwether of recessions. 'When things are good, and people are spending a lot of money on capital costs, we are doing well. But we're usually the first service to get cut when people start to hold back, and we're the last to come on board when the economy starts coming back,' Lee says. And because they're never quite sure when the next project will come around, many architecture firms end up being conservative with their spending and salaries. Subscribe to the Design latest innovations in design brought to you every weekday SIGN UP Privacy Policy | Fast Company Newsletters advertisement The final deadline for Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech Awards is Friday, June 20, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Militant resident doctors launch strike ballot over NHS pay and call for walkouts... firing the starting gun on a Labour 'summer of discontent'
Militant resident doctors today fire the starting gun on a Labour 'summer of discontent' by launching a strike ballot over NHS pay. The British Medical Association is urging members to support up to six months of walkouts, with fears other public sector workers could follow. The medics – previously known as 'junior doctors' – are threatening to disrupt patient care despite seeing their pay jump by 28.9 per cent in just three years. They have crippled services by taking industrial action 11 times since 2022, forcing health bosses to cancel an estimated 1.5 million appointments. It threatens to bring further misery for Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who would have to raise taxes or cut services to meet the pay demands. Health Secretary Wes Streeting last year awarded resident doctors a 22.3 per cent pay deal with no strings attached – ignoring warnings that they would still hold him to ransom again this year. Ministers announced last week that most doctors would receive a 4 per cent pay rise following the latest review of public sector pay, with resident doctors to receive an extra £750 on top of the uplift. The increase, recommended by an independent pay review body, is above the rate of inflation, which jumped to 3.5 per cent in April. Other NHS workers in England, including nurses, midwives and physiotherapists, will receive just a 3.6 per cent increase, effective from April 1. Professor Nicola Ranger, the general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, cited the success of previous doctors' strikes as she warned earlier this month her members could 'bare our teeth' and take industrial action to secure a 25 per cent rise. And the National Education Union, the largest union for teachers, has threatened to 'register a dispute' with the Government unless it fully funds the 4 per cent pay rise for teachers, part of which is currently due to be covered by existing school budgets. Other health unions are considering their options. Tory MP Edward Argar, the party's shadow health and social care secretary, said Labour were 'warned' that giving in to union demands last year 'would only see them coming back for more'. 'Now we see the threat of a summer of discontent and a summer of strikes at risk of becoming a reality, with NHS staff on the picket line rather than the front line,' he added. '[The Government] needs to get a grip and must urgently set out how these new pay deals will be funded without cutting services.' Mr Streeting said he 'wants to work with resident doctors to deliver the change that the NHS is crying out for'.
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Resident doctors fire the starting gun on a Labour summer of discontent by launching a strike ballot over NHS pay
Militant resident doctors today fire the starting gun on a Labour summer of discontent by launching a strike ballot over NHS pay. The British Medical Association is urging members to support up to six months of walkouts, with fears nurses, teachers and other public sector workers could follow. The medics - previously known as 'junior doctors' - are threatening to disrupt patient care despite seeing their pay jump by 28.9 per cent in just three years. They have crippled services by taking industrial action 11 times since 2022, forcing health bosses to cancel an estimated 1.5million appointments. It threatens to bring further misery on Chancellor Rachel Reeves who would have to raise taxes or cut services in order to meet the inflated pay demands. Health secretary Wes Streeting last year awarded resident doctors a 22.3 per cent pay deal with no strings attached - ignoring warnings that they would still hold him to ransom again this year. Ministers announced last week that most doctors would receive a 4 per cent pay rise following the latest review of public sector pay, with resident doctors to receive an extra £750 on top of the uplift. The increase, recommended by an independent pay review body, is above the rate of inflation, which jumped to 3.5 per cent in April, the highest since January 2024. Other NHS workers in England, including nurses, midwives and physiotherapists, will receive just a 3.6 per cent pay increase, effective from April 1. Professor Nicola Ranger, the general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, cited the success of previous doctors' strikes as she warned earlier this month that her members could 'bare our teeth' and take industrial in order to secure a 25 per cent rise. And the Nation Education Union, the largest union for teachers, has threatened to 'register a dispute' with the Government unless it fully funds the 4 per cent pay rise for teachers, part of which is currently due to be covered by existing school budgets. Other health unions are considering their options. Tory MP Edward Argar, the party's shadow health and social care secretary, said: 'We warned Labour that giving in to union demands on above-inflation pay rises with no strings attached last year would only see them coming back for more. 'Now we see the threat of a summer of discontent and a summer of strikes at risk of becoming a reality, with NHS staff on the picket line rather than the frontline. 'The Government bragged about their approach to pay deals last year and are now reaping the consequences. 'They need to get a grip and must urgently set out how these new pay deals will be funded without cutting services. 'Wes Streeting and Labour must face down union pressure by securing a fair, sustainable agreement for both workers and taxpayers. 'If they don't, it's patients and the public who will suffer.' Resident doctors in England today begin receiving their ballots, which could give the BMA a mandate for strike action from July this year to January 2026. Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices, which campaigns for elderly patients, said: 'Here we are again with waiting lists still far too high, widespread strikes in the NHS being threatened, and with GPs and NHS dentists still listed as endangered species. 'Frontline staff continue to struggle to cover burgeoning vacancies. And all we have is promised strategies and long-term plans. 'Once again patients will be the collateral damage from the lack of radical action by Labour to sort out the NHS staffing crisis.' Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt, co-chairs of the BMA's Resident Doctors Committee. said: 'We are urging doctors to vote yes to strike action. By voting yes they will be telling the Government there is no alternative to fixing pay – this cannot wait for different fiscal circumstances and a healthier NHS. The answer is to fix it today.' Mr Streeting said: 'Within weeks of coming into office, I was determined to resolve the pay dispute and give resident doctors a substantial pay rise. 'That's now being followed by another above-inflation average pay award of 5.4 per cent. 'The result is that Resident Doctors have seen their pay increase by 28.9 per cent compared to three years ago. 'I want to work in partnership with resident doctors to deliver the change that the NHS is crying out for.'
Telegraph
20-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Elon Musk's finance chief paid record $139m despite Tesla turmoil
Tesla's finance chief was paid a record $139m (£104m) last year despite collapsing sales at the electric carmaker. Vaibhav Taneja, who has worked at Tesla since 2017 and took over as chief financial officer in 2023, took home the huge pay cheque thanks to stock options and equity awards linked to his promotion. His base salary stands at $400,000. The figure eclipses the pay of most chief executives and is thought to be the highest pay for a finance chief since records began in 2006. The bumper pay came even as Tesla reels from a huge slump in sales amid a political backlash against Elon Musk, the chief executive. The carmaker posted its biggest drop in sales for more than a decade in the first quarter, with the number of vehicles delivered tumbling 13pc to 336,681. It marked the biggest annual decline in sales since 2012, when the company only sold a handful of cars each month. Mr Musk and his company have been targeted by widespread protests over his support for Donald Trump and his unofficial role in the US administration's Doge (department of government efficiency) cost-cutting unit. The Tesla founder last month said he will 'significantly' cut back his role in the US government to focus on his electric vehicle company. Mr Taneja's rising pay comes even as Mr Musk continues to receive no salary from the carmaker. Payday battle The world's richest man has been locked in a legal battle for seven years over his record-breaking $56bn pay award from Tesla. A Delaware court has blocked the pay packet due to concerns the figure was excessive and after ruling Tesla had failed to prove it was fair. Judge Kathaleen McCormick accused Tesla's board of being too submissive towards Mr Musk, saying they were 'like supine servants of an overweening master'. The decision to block the pay was upheld in December. Tesla last month said it has formed a special committee to consider compensation for Mr Musk, suggesting the company is now trying to draw up a new pay deal. There have also been reports that the board has begun drawing up plans to replace Mr Musk, although the company has denied this. Mr Musk's pay is largely linked to Tesla stock options. The tycoon has previously threatened to leave the electric carmaker and take its artificial intelligence and robotics capabilities elsewhere unless he was granted more control. Mr Musk has a separate AI company, which he merged with his social media platform X earlier this year. In a regulatory filing last month, Tesla said: 'In 2024, we reviewed our compensation programs with respect to our senior executives to align our compensation programs to their intended purposes, including striving to offer a total level of compensation that reflects individual performance to be competitive within specific roles and geographical markets, and to provide appropriate retentive impact in light of currently outstanding equity awards.'
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Calls for some Jersey politicians to get salary increase
Some Jersey politicians might be paid more that others, if the States agrees to Jonathan Renouf said he wanted to see the pay changed for the chief minister, assistant ministers and chairs of a scrutiny panel, as well as for chairs of some said it made more sense, considering the decisions they had to make in those earliest the States will debate the proposal will be on 3 June. He said: "The basic case for paying ministers more than non-ministers is so basic that you can't actually find much discussion of the issue."In simple terms, it comes down to one thing more than anything else: responsibility. Ministers take on decision-making responsibility that backbenchers do not."It is not about workload, because it is perfectly possible for a backbench member to work as hard as a minister."Every day, ministers take decisions about the safety and welfare of vulnerable people, they respond to emergency situations, they take decisions that affect the economy and therefore the quality of life of everyone on the Island."Renouf also highlighted a 2017 consultation in which members of the public were asked if States members should continue to get the same to the States, two out of three respondents indicated pay should vary depending upon the level of responsibility.
