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Blue-Collar Worker Shortages
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Blue-Collar Worker Shortages

Navigating a Business Environment of Higher Labor Costs


automatisch generiertes Audio
automatisch generiertes Audio

Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Analytical
  • Overview
  • For Experts

Recommendation

With more and more Americans striving for a college degree, fewer people are competing for traditional blue-collar and low-wage service jobs. Conference Board economists Gad Levanon and Frank Steemers offer an insightful perspective on how this trend is likely to accelerate, as US economic growth continues and employers have to contend with labor shortages for these less prestigious jobs. This illuminating, focused and amply illustrated piece is likely to interest policy experts, economists and human resources professionals.

Take-Aways

  • As more Americans get college degrees, there are fewer takers for blue-collar and low-wage service jobs.
  • On the upside, rising demand translates into higher pay for less educated workers, with their wages growing faster than those of white-collar workers.
  • But on the downside, higher compensation means reduced profits for corporations, and an inflationary impact is likely if companies pass on rising costs to consumers.

About the Authors

Gad Levanon is the chief economist for North America at the Conference Board, where Frank Steemers is an associate economist.