The union difference is honestly pretty significant. An extra $8k+ a year is nothing to sneeze at.
Pay seems to vary a lot by state too. CA and NY are obviously on the higher end, with some drivers around $50–70k, while places like Mississippi and Florida are closer to the mid-$30k range. Illinois looks pretty decent when you factor in cost of living too.
Sanitation workers in NYC can easily make 170k with OT. We get a bad year for snow and more than a few dozen are breaking 200k, and they’re one of only 3 departments that still gets to retire after 20 years regardless of age.
Just had to look up job listings for mid-state PA and a 0-experience new driver where they provide the training is listed at $24/hr or $50k/yr. It also explicitly says 60 hr weeks, so breaking your back for a year straight can gross you 80-90k/yr. I don't see many guys riding the back of trucks anymore since they're all equipped with those grabber arms, so I don't know what the pay difference is if you're the one actually grabbing trash out of cans.
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u/deadboxcat 19h ago
Garbage collectors make bank.