"they work all day for a mere pittance"
1.少量报酬;微薄工资
If you say that you receive apittance, you are emphasizing that you get only a very small amount of money, probably not as much as you think you deserve.
pittance的近义词
e.g. Her secretaries work tirelessly for apittance.
她的秘书们为一点微薄的工资不知疲倦地工作。
He was granted a small pittance.
出自:E. H. Gombrich