Salary survey of occupations in Toronto

[stinkynuts]

http://ctv.workopolis.com/servlet/News/robmag/20020222/RO8SALA

I was looking up salary info on occupations. Interesting stuff...


What's interesting is that teachers earn between 30K to 60K, while a ttc bus driver with no college education earns on average 52,000 per year:

"Paul McLaughlin, executive vice-president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, says that drivers average, with overtime, $52,000 a year. "

Does anyone else think that this is a bit too much for a bus driver? What's more incredible is that they went on strike to demand an increase in salary.

 

[Smash]

Heres another...... http://www.salaryexpert.com/index.cfm

 

[Keebler Elf]

The TTC topic has already been done to death

You're also comparing apples to oranges since that $52K includes overtime. They could be working 80 hours a week for all you know.

 

[stinkynuts]

Like, everytme I get off the bus and enter the subway, the workers are either talking or doing something else and don't even bother looking at my transfer. Even when they do look at it, it's just a very quick glance. I'm sure they don't even care. How can I obtain such a job? Is it easy to get into the ttc network?

After reading about how all these teachers are being burned out, I'm beginnig to think I would be happier sitting in a booth, looking at hot chicks, and giving out tokens for the rest of my life. Much less stress.

 

[chd]

Does anyone else think that this is a bit too much for a bus driver?

NO

What's more incredible is that they went on strike to demand an increase in salary.

DID THEY GO ON STRIKE?

 

[stinkynuts]

Sorry, you're right, they didn't. What I meant to say is that they were going to go on strike.

I am sorry if I offended anyone.

 

[chd]

YOU DID NOT OFFEND
YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO YOUR THOUGHTS
I JUST ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION ABOUT 52k A YEAR
AS THE ELF SAID
IF 7-12K A YEAR IS OVERTIME
THAT SEEMS FAIR
AS I HAVE POSTED BEFORE
I AM NOT PRO UNION BUT WITH THE TTC WHILE I DO NOT
LIKE SOME OF THE UNIONS POSITIONS I FELL THE DRIVERS
EARN THIER KEEP

 

[canucklehead]

Well i would rather a well paid professional driving the 5 ton vehicle around the city.
Remember teachers get a lot of time off and holiday time. I work in education and see them complaining all the time while thye leave for 6 to 8 weeks in the summer. Some take the time for professional courses and such but others just go away and relax.
It is all relative. I have some clients that think i charge way too much. if that is the case why am i always busy?

 

[rama putri]

Education has little value in North American society, so there is no relation with education and salaries.

 

[james t kirk]

Funny,

I don't consider a salary of 52k a year in Toronto as excessive.

Thing is about the TTC drivers, they actually WORK for their 8 hours.


Now teachers, that's my pet peave.

Not that they are overpaid.

Just that they have it SO FUCKING MADE it's not funny and all they do is bitch and complain. Highschool teachers teach 3 classes of 75 minutes a day for a grand total of 3.75 hours per day. Oh yes, sure there is prep time and marking, big deal. You teach the same thing over and over you can do it in your sleep.

And then there is the fact that they get the WHOLE SUMMER OFF.

 

[Svend]

Why should educated people make more money?
Is a philosopher or poet worth more than a plumber?
Let the market forces prevail!

TTC drivers work split shifts to take care of rush hour needs. It's not an easy job, like teachers they often have to deal with difficult people.

 

[james t kirk]

Why should educated people make more money?
Is a philosopher or poet worth more than a plumber?
Let the market forces prevail!

Market forces DO prevail.

That's why an electrician can make more money than an engineer

That's why a brick layer can make more money than a teacher.

 

[Svend]

That's often fair, physical difficulty and trade shortages should be part of the equation as well as their education.

 

[james t kirk]

That's often fair, physical difficulty and trade shortages should be part of the equation as well as their education.

I see you're a tradesman.

The point of my post is that education does not guarantee you anything anymore. Hasn't in 50 years.

If you are a hard working good tradesman in Canada you will be better off than 90% of the University grads out there.

And pysical difficulty has nothing to do with remuneration.

I for one don't think it's fair that a brick layer working on a building should be making more money than the architect who designed it. (probably working 60 or 70 hours a week).

But that's the free market.

Good for the bricklayer, dumb on the architect.

 

[WhaWhaWha]

TTC driver qualifications include:

1. Solid job history - 6+ years on their last employment. so anyone who is not currently employed in a long term position, or has gone through a recent bad patch of unemployment need not apply.
2. Perfect driving record. No infractions, accidents, insurance claims, late or missed auto insurance payments, problems related to so much as a missed payment. Clean abstract and 7 star rating only.
3. Available for split shift training. You get paid for 8 hours work during training and the first six or seven years of independant driving but your schedule commits you to be available for 12-13 hour stretches.
4. Clean credit history.

They dont tell you this on the application but they investigate you like you're a suspected terrorist. If you pass inspection you are a rare commodity indeed and probably a stable enough individual that you don't need the TTC job as much as you want it more than the many other opportunities that are open to you.

Getting the job is easy. Keeping it is hard. The evaluation procedures depend on how well you keep to the schedule, how accuratel you enforce fare collection, avoid all conflict and complaints, maintain your vehicle, uniform, and self. You are proclaimed an "ambassador" of the city and are constantly challenged with people some of whom behave in public in a manner that would likely get you banned from Terb.

If you manage to make it through the application, training, and maintain the strict standards you are clearly worth the 52K.

 

[james t kirk]

TTC driver qualifications include:

1. Solid job history - 6+ years on their last employment. so anyone who is not currently employed in a long term position, or has gone through a recent bad patch of unemployment need not apply.
2. Perfect driving record. No infractions, accidents, insurance claims, late or missed auto insurance payments, problems related to so much as a missed payment. Clean abstract and 7 star rating only.
3. Available for split shift training. You get paid for 8 hours work during training and the first six or seven years of independant driving but your schedule commits you to be available for 12-13 hour stretches.
4. Clean credit history.

They dont tell you this on the application but they investigate you like you're a suspected terrorist. If you pass inspection you are a rare commodity indeed and probably a stable enough individual that you don't need the TTC job as much as you want it more than the many other opportunities that are open to you.

Getting the job is easy. Keeping it is hard. The evaluation procedures depend on how well you keep to the schedule, how accuratel you enforce fare collection, avoid all conflict and complaints, maintain your vehicle, uniform, and self. You are proclaimed an "ambassador" of the city and are constantly challenged with people some of whom behave in public in a manner that would likely get you banned from Terb.

If you manage to make it through the application, training, and maintain the strict standards you are clearly worth the 52K.

Not to mention it's not fucking easy to drive a bus through the streets of Toronto and BS you will have to put up with.

 

[chd]

Not to mention it's not fucking easy to drive a bus through the streets of Toronto and BS you will have to put up with.

I also respect the job they do.
I know I could not do it even for 80k.

 

[rama putri]

Most TTC drivers are OK, but there a few that are give the rest a very bad name.

 

[stinkynuts]

Agreed, rama. Some have really bad attitudes. Although this is true of any profession...

 

[Svend]

I see you're a tradesman.

Nope, I have soft hands but I respect the knowhow and labour involved in these tasks.
The best way to compensate people is allowing the market to determine their value. You'll have some wacko figures going to sports and entertainment people but overall it works.
Would you rather have a tribunal determine the value of each job and pay accordingly?