First of all, the general rule is don't expect 6 figures unless you're management.
Stock options: they're generally not worth as much as you think. Keep in mind that they're often negotiated during a buy-out of your company. Most of my Storage Trust stock options were nothing but throw-away paper when Public Storage bought us out, because if they were above the buy-out price, they were worth NOTHING. And this "repackaging" of your company makes it sound to me like it's looking for a BUYER.
In Missouri, in your situation, the one thing you should NEVER do is mention anything about knowing ANYONE else's salary. Such "accidental" information MAY be an offense worthy of termination. I know that in my case, disclosure of salary information is covered specifically in the Employee Handbook. It has been everywhere I've ever gone.
Also, anyone who puts their boss in the situation of "pay me this, or I walk" generally will get that salary - for a VERY limited time...specifically, just long enough to train someone to replace you.
Your best option - in most cases - is to find a new job and walk away with class and dignity. On your exit interview, make it clear that the reason you left was "simply financial" - and leave it at that; don't nit-pick, bad-mouth, or over-explain. Stay on good terms with your co-workers and bosses. If you really were "indispensible," you leave the door open for the company you left to re-approach you, with an offer more to your liking. But the serious truth is that no one is truly "indispensible" in a well-run company.
The real truth is that sometimes, the grass really *IS* greener on the other side. I've never been unhappy leaving one job and going to the next. And where I'm at now, I'm absolutely thrilled; I'm well-treated, well-respected, and well-paid - working for a director who is a visionary, and a boss who works hard to make us better while simultaneously shielding us from any office politics. It's a dream job.
Years ago, I had the opportunity to come to this company, and always took the "you'll really like it" with a grain of salt; the person telling me about Carfax was prone to exaggeration and bragging. Truth was, however, that he was CORRECT. I could have saved myself a lot of lost nights of sleep by bolting for this job years prior.
At the same time, there's security in what you know.
And it really is up to you to make the call.
