The thought that a Tech is supposed to earn that is probably flawed. For the most part a Tech's job is not a life time job.
Keep them 3-5 years they move up and have more responsibility and earn more or move on. Slinging a wand for a lifetime is for owner ops. Tech's will come and go.
Typically.
The work is physically demanding, so is much like many other physical jobs like house framing, bricklaying or working an oil rig. Those guys either know enough about what they do to move up the ranks or move into selling stuff to the people doing that job.
Or get a job at Home Depot.
The average age that someone leaves a job as cleaner is 27, as he's probably earned enough life skills to make a move to something easier.
So, how do you keep a good tech around? Your company either has to charge enough to pay him well or are growing fast enough to offer an opportunity to move up. Charge enough and you have older techs... that have the experience to justify charging more. Growing fast gives the guys that are almost like you a chance to do something short of opening their own cleaning company.
I think you'd find that most of the companies that attended the ARCS event in Denver would fit into Mike's list.
living wages.. maybe. Buy a house here not a chance, you cant buy a house here if your working at Amazon and make 80k unless your significant other also makes 80k AND you just inherited some money plus your credit is immaculate.
Probably mostly true for the ten most expensive cities in the US. In all of those cities employees mostly commute, either to be able to get into a house at all, or to get more for their money. Can't say I'd really want to live in Seattle.
