I've been a water treatment plant operator since 2014 in Pennsylvania. I got into it when I was 20 expecting it to be a long lucrative career due to worker shortages. After 8 years I'm finally fed up with the bullshit.
2014-2020 I worked for my local system 5 minutes from home, starting at $17.00/hr when I first got my license and ending at 19.25/hr. In the middle I was making 21.00/hr. How? Well the board (consisting of 5 local people all appointed by the township supervisors) decided I was an exempt employee and changed me to salary even though I met zero criteria through the FLSA. It bumped my hourly rate up, but gave me no overtime and forced comp time when I normally worked an average of 53 hours a week (all illegal I know). When I tried to explain the legalities they didn't believe me so I sued them and they fired me. I eventually won that lawsuit settling in November 2021.
2020-2021 worked at a plant an hour away. Assistant operator making 16.00/hr. No issues with the board but the drive and the absolute middle of bum fuck nowhere meant I drove 40 miles through deer/elk filled woods hoping I didn't crash and get stranded daily.
2021-last week. Got contacted by a new place 40 minutes away and I drove interstate, so I actually saw another human on my commute now. This place however was leaps and bounds above crazy. Backstabbing, lying, gaslighting, gossip, spying, rumors etc. All local drama and politics by a few crazies that have known and feuded with each other for 60+ years. I was warned but did it anyway for the money. Made 22.50 an hour. Well I finally had it with the boards lying and not allowing me the proper equipment to do my job so I quit without notice. They had never been professional during my time there so I wasn't giving them the courtesy of a 2 week notice.
See, in the background since 2020 I've been starting my own window washing company. Business really took off this year. I am about to pay my house off and get married at the end of the year and crunching numbers I am fully self sufficient without a daily job. So I quit. I never have to deal with local politics or drama or report to someone to ask permission to get the day off for my birthday. I'm not on call 24/7 waiting for the water plant to call me with an issue at 1AM multiple times a week. I'm not responsible for thousands of people's health and getting paid half of what I really should for the responsibility and stress it brings.
I have something I've built from nothing and that I am proud of. I report to myself and either succeed or fail on my own. No more power tripping locals with no idea how the system works and it feels great.