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My grandparents were all blue collar/laborers. All four did blue collar and physical labor jobs their entire working lives. None of them wanted that for their own kids. But I get that is not everyone’s outlook.While maybe difficult to envision for the type of people who mostly frequent this board (primarily college educated white-collar professions) ...yes that is what a good share of blue-collar workers wants. Some people just want a job where they are given a task that they can grind away at until the day is done.
I think there was some discussion here about a recent poll that showed "only" 20% of Americans wanted more manufacturing jobs. That 20% represents tens of millions of workers who that would be glad to have a factory job but do not have one or the prospect to get one. Maybe they are unemployed or underemployed in other types of jobs that they hate. Upward mobility is relative. For someone whose skillset is primarily suited to a blue-collar position, that factory job may give the opportunity for generational upward mobility. Maybe they'll advance to a supervisory position with more pay and the next generation of that factory worker will be a white-collar worker. My father started as blue-collar worker who advanced to a plant manager based on innate leadership skills and died a multi-millionaire.
Working a blue-collar position is an honest day's work and should provide a level of pay that allows a person to not just marginally survive but to have a family and a reasonable home in the modern US.