Whenever talking about work and wages, I always ask the same question - Who gets paid more, a hedge fund manager or someone who shovels manure? The answer is - They both get paid the same amount. They get paid the bare minimum needed to get them to show up again tomorrow. Once you hit your breaking point, and you are no longer getting paid enough to show up tomorrow, don't just quit. Tell them that the only way you will show up again tomorrow is if you're making this much money and working this many hours. If they don't agree, then fine. But if you are worth it, if it's in their best interests, they'll do whatever it takes to make sure you show up again tomorrow. The truth is that it's your one and only bargaining chip. Don't let it go to waste. Use it. Even if your demands are ridiculous, they might be in a spot where it's ~~better~~ easier for them to meet your demands than it is to watch you walk away. And that's the key word - "Easier". Employees don't do what's better, they do what's easier. And if it's easier to tell payroll to increase your paychecks and to push most of your workload onto someone else, instead of hiring someone to replace you, they will always take the easy way. You don't "find a happy medium". You work yourself into a situation where you can make demands and have them met.