Silver,
Falling salaries has been endemic accross the USA for years, and salaries are barely higher than 1970s levels. Am often quite shocked when having an American salary quoted and doing the dollar-pound conversion. Of course, there's a minority doing very well, but the gap is ever-widening and the middle classes are being left behind. The so-called "American dream" is now a myth.
Aparently the FR pilot was on 124,000 euros/year, what's that, about £100,000? Still lousy treatment though.
Your talk of "refuse collection" brought back nostalgic memories, ha ha. Was a dustman for a few weeks one summer in the 1970s, no wheely bins outside the houses then....in those days it was down the sides of houses and lift up metal bins. Halcyon days? Eventually graduated to the parks department.