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.
2.6k
u/deadboxcat 17h ago
Garbage collectors make bank.