To get said pay.
Honestly, what I make isn't BAD. Not what it should be, not what I'd like it to be, but I know people older than me who work in retail who make less.
I could live modestly on what I make, hell, I do. With the hours I'm working now I make good money really. But 171 hours a pay period isn't sustainable when your UHU is above 0.5.