If y'all didn't track this, here's the new WGA schedule of minimum pay for variety shows (aka talk shows), per week -- $5,024 now, goes up to $5,200 on 5/2/2024, and then $5,382 on 5/2/2025.
So over a quarter of a million a year, for lowest level staff jobs. Plus, there's always side stuff, like doing warm-up for your own show, acting in sketches, shows being rerun in other markets, residuals during re-runs, etc.
These are the pinnacle of straight joke-writing jobs. You get paid more when you move up to producing, or head writing, but those are different skill sets than straight up, "Hey, we need jokes," "Great, here are jokes."
When I started at The Late Late show back in 04 or so, I think I was at like $3,700? So, yeah, guilds/unions matter.
Also, here's a link to the full sched of minimums.