Do you manage people on a daily basis, bg6214? If I had to guess, I'd say that's where part of the rub is. Companies seem to value people management skills far more than the ability to manage hardware and infrastructure. And while I understand that thinking, it only goes so far. Anyone handling a network of your size deserves fair compensation.
At one time in my life, I managed a sizable network of Definity and System 75 switches. After several years of hitting the same ceiling you did, I bailed on the company. Despite all of my documentation and willingness to help afterward, it only took two "formally trained" but incompetent techs (whose combined salary was higher than mine) to totally hose up the DCS and centralized AUDIX for weeks on end.
What can I tell you? Probably nothing that you don't already know or suspect. Fight the battle over titles, privileges and salary as best as you can. Ultimately though, employment is supposed to be a fair trade between you and the employer. If that is no longer the case, then perhaps it's time to move along.
