[JustSayNoToNannies]

Who knew? Seriously, who knew? Who knew that FR is populated by maintenance and repair workers, heavy-vehicle mechanics, and electrical repair specialists complaining that their wages are not rising quickly enough

A swing and a miss. Employers raise pay not as charity but because it achieves desired results such as filling positions; the data you posted showing rising pay for skilled labor indicates that rising pay successfully fills positions - no surprise to anyone who has even a passing familiarity with basic economics.

during the worst economic crisis since the Depression?

Looking past the sound bites, economic crises don't affect everyone equally - as you should have deduced from the data you posted showing rising pay for skilled labor even during the worst economic crisis since the Depression.

[1rudeboy]

You appear to be arguing with a figment of your own imagination. Suffice it to say, when wages are rising in sectors of the economy when wages in other sectors are falling, it indicates that employment in the sectors where the wages are rising is in demand.

If you are arguing that wages are not rising quickly enough to your liking (or out of some metaphysical belief that UP should offer more--according to your liking), then you have little idea of the current job market.

The sense of entitlement is running strong in this thread. You are not entitled to a higher wage because an employer cannot find someone with your skillset. Nor is an employer obligated to pay an astronomical salary because someone on FR thinks they pay too little.