I live in NJ and the minimum wage here is 13 an hour. I work at wawa pumping gas for 16 an hour which is 640 before taxes for a 40 hour work week. I also graduated from my local community college with my associates, which gives me the required amount of college credits to qualify as a substitute teacher here in NJ. The average daily pay for substitute teachers here is around 116 according to indeed and 114 according to ESS the main company providing subs. So if I were lucky enough to sub every day of the school week I would only be making 580, which is 60 dollars less than I make pumping gas.
I'm definitely not saying that gas attendants are overpaid because it sucks ALOT, the smell of gas all the time, we never get to sit, we're at the mercy of the elements. I do however think that ALL teachers deserve a pay raise. I would love to make a living teaching our children (even though subbing is more so glorified babysitting) and not have to deal with pumping gas. The sad reality is that you're not guaranteed anything as a sub and even if I did magically get full weeks subbing, that extra 60 is alot and I get healthcare and life insurance on top of that.
The combination of exploitation in the private sector of labor and the absurd budgets in place by our government do nothing but show how lowly we are all viewed as workers, and how the only thing that matters is more money for the ruling class.