Average household spends $61,334 a year on expenses. On average, 34.9% of spending (~$1784/mo) is spent on housing costs. The median price of a single family home in the US is $273,992. Nationwide, avg rent on a 2 bedroom apartment runs $1,154/mo. The average American household dedicates a further 16% of spending to transportation, an average of $9,826 a year. Annual healthcare costs average another $5,177 annually. Food, including groceries and eating out, costs another $7,317 a year or $609.75 a month. The average monthly cost for utilities in the U.S. is $370.16.Nationwide, the median household income is $67,521 a year, while personal income for individuals is $35,805. The living wage for the United States is $68,808 annually for a family of four. (Source: Cost of Living Index by State 2024 (worldpopulationreview.com))

The bureau of labor statistics’s May 2023 study found that across all occupations, the median hourly wage was $23.11, mean hourly wage was $31.48, and annual mean wage was $65,470. (source: May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates (bls.gov))

Carriers were anticipating the elimination of Table 2 with one pay scale. The proposed pay scales do not provide a living wage until higher steps are reached. 

The way the Tentative Agreement shortens the time to top step is wildly unfair to carriers who were hired on Table 2 or are currently on steps C-O. These carriers were denied a higher early career salary that amounts to over $100,000.