Blue-Collar Wages Soar Under Trump: Largest Five-Month Gain in 60 Years

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, in a historic economic shift, blue-collar workers have experienced the largest five-month real wage increase in nearly 60 years under President Donald Trump’s second term. According to recent economic data, real wages for blue-collar Americans rose by nearly 2% in the first five months of 2025 — a sharp contrast to the 1.7% decline during the same period under President Biden, when inflation outpaced earnings.

📈 Largest Early-Term Wage Surge Since 1969

The data marks an unprecedented achievement. Trump is the only president since Richard Nixon in 1969 to deliver positive real wage growth for blue-collar workers in the opening months of his presidency.

Here’s a look at historical comparisons:

• Trump (2025, 2nd term): +1.9% wage growth

• Trump (2017, 1st term): +1.3% wage growth

• Biden (2021): -1.7% wage decline

• George H.W. Bush (1989): -3.0% wage decline

This trend signals a dramatic reversal in working-class fortunes, particularly in sectors like manufacturing, construction, and logistics.

🏭 Key Drivers: Manufacturing Push, Border Reform, and Inflation Control

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent credited the wage growth to a three-pronged strategy:

1. Falling inflation, which has stabilized the value of earnings.

2. Trump’s focus on revitalizing American manufacturing, creating more middle-income jobs.

3. Border enforcement, aimed at removing undocumented laborers from the workforce and reducing wage competition.

“President Trump’s policies are finally relieving the downward pressure on wages that Biden’s open-border agenda created,” Bessent said. “American workers are now reaping the rewards.”

📜 The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Could Accelerate Growth

Looking ahead, the Trump administration expects a further economic boost from the proposed budget reconciliation bill, dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Expected to pass the Senate by July, the legislation includes several pro-worker policies:

• No federal tax on tips, benefiting millions in the service industry.

• Elimination of federal income tax on overtime pay for over 80 million hourly workers.

• Massive tax credits for manufacturers, projected to create up to 6 million new blue-collar jobs.

If passed, these policies would supercharge wage gains and strengthen Trump’s economic legacy among working-class voters.

💬 Political & Economic Implications

The rise in real wages under Trump’s second term is more than a statistical win — it’s a political rallying point that highlights stark differences in economic philosophy between Trump and Biden-era policies.

With the administration banking on further legislative wins, working Americans may see continued gains in purchasing power, job opportunities, and long-term financial security.

📊 The Bottom Line

For the first time in decades, blue-collar workers are seeing real, meaningful increases in their paychecks — not just nominal gains erased by inflation. Backed by strong policy shifts and a pro-labor tax agenda, the early economic indicators from Trump’s second term suggest a renewed era of prosperity for America’s working class.

Follow the Ridgewood blog has a brand-new new X account, we tweet good sh$t
https://twitter.com/TRBNJNews
https://truthsocial.com/@theridgewoodblog
https://mewe.com/jamesfoytlin.74/posts
#news #follow #media #trending #viral #newsupdate #currentaffairs #BergenCountyNews #NJBreakingNews #NJHeadlines #NJTopStories