OAN Staff Abril Elfi
3:17 PM – Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Blue-collar workers have reportedly experienced their most significant wage growth under any administration in nearly six decades.
“Blue-collar” refers to workers who typically perform manual labor or skilled trades, often in industries such as: construction, manufacturing, maintenance, transportation, warehousing, etc.
New data from the U.S. Department of the Treasury showed a 1.7% pay bump — compared to the negative growth under former Democrat President Joe Biden. “Negative growth” signifies a decrease in a measured quantity over time, where the growth rate is below zero.
The report also noted that Trump has been the “only president to record positive growth for blue-collar workers in his first five months” since former GOP President Richard Nixon.
“The only other time it’s been this high was… during President Trump’s first term,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the New York Post. “We’ve seen real wages for hourly workers, non-supervisory workers, rise almost 2% in the first five months. … No president has done that before.”
Bessent went on to explain that the rising U.S. blue collar wage growth has been fueled by the GOP president’s “emphasis on manufacturing” and commitment to removing illegal immigrants.
“Biden opened the border, and it was flooded,” said Bessent. “And for working Americans, that’s a disaster because it’s pressure on their wages.”
Trump’s team has also assured that if the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” passes the Senate as early as July, the economy will benefit from a “double whammy” of lower inflation and rising wages.
The budget reconciliation package includes specific aid for unskilled or blue-collar workers promised by Trump during last year’s presidential campaign, such as no tax on tips and no tax on overtime.
The bill would also repeal federal income taxes on overtime compensation for more than 80 million hourly workers in areas such as manufacturing, construction, and first responders — who frequently rely on overtime for income.
Tax breaks for firms to develop U.S. facilities are expected to produce up to 6 million blue-collar jobs in construction and manufacturing.
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