The invisible backbone: Why America’s blue-collar workforce feels undervalued and stuck

For decades, the image of the American blue-collar worker, hard hats, calloused hands, and tireless dedication, has been romanticized in films, politics, and the nostalgic imagination of a nation. Yet, a stark new reality emerges from the latest Pew Research Center survey: For nearly a third of the US workforce, work is less about pride and more about survival. Blue-collar workers, roughly 27% of employed Americans, are markedly less satisfied with their jobs than their white-collar counterparts. Only 43% describe themselves as extremely or very satisfied, trailing behind the 53% of other workers. Dig deeper, and the picture becomes more nuanced: Younger workers and women in blue-collar roles report the lowest satisfaction, seeing their jobs not as careers but as a paycheck, just enough