How much do you make?

Do you know how much the people you work with make? When I got my first job, like any teenager, I was bragging and telling everyone about it. I was excited to tell that I made $7.50 an hour. But no one wanted to tell me how much they made. Their answers were always : I made good money, around that amount, that's rude you don't ask that, and none of your business. I used to find it weird until my younger sister asked me the same question recently and I found myself reluctant to answer.

I still don't understand why this is treated as sensitive information. Most of the people I ask tell me it is more of an ethical matter then practical. I did a little research on line and the answers are not much different.

Some say it helps eliminate discrimination based on salary at the workplace so people are treated fairly. I chuckled when I read this. The CEO makes more money than the janitor, just as the Sr manager makes more than the intern. Maybe a title is a euphemism of your salary, and you are treated accordingly.

I think there could be advantages to knowing how much other people make in your company. I would have never known how underpaid I was if I didn't discuss this "sensitive" matter with my coworkers. I also found out that there could be a very big difference in pay for people with same title and same years of experience.

Maybe divulging this information is a trick employers use to pay the employees under market value. Think about it, what are your thoughts on this?