According to data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual income for blue-collar occupations is $52,000, which is noticeably higher than the median U.S. household income of $43,389. According to the bureau, blue-collar jobs with the highest median annual wages include elevator installer and repairer ($63,620), locomotive engineer ($57,990), and electrical and electronics repairer, powerhouse, substation, and relay ($57,400). Power plant operators earn a median annual wage of $55,000, while farm, ranch, and other agricultural managers earn around $52,070 per year.
NCCC still has not reached agreement with tech support union
The contract between the Technical Support Personnel Association and Niagara County Community College (NCCC) that expired on August 31, 2004, will most likely not be renewed, as both sides disagree on issues relating to healthcare insurance costs. According to the college's president, James Klyczek, healthcare costs for each of the union's 25 members come to approximately $2,000 per month. The school has said union members must enroll with an HMO, which would cut costs. However, the union does not want to do away with its current Blue Cross/Blue Shield coverage. During a recent board of trustees meeting, the union offered a number of alternatives that would save between $90,000 and $150,000 per year in healthcare costs. However, it insists on a written agreement with the school that would prevent any future alteration of healthcare plans. NCCC opposes the idea of a written contract, which it has termed "illegal" and contradictory to the purpose of union contracts.
Blue-collar employees may spend as much on jewelry as white-collar workers
According to IDEX Online Research, there is hardly any difference between white-collar employees and blue-collar workers when it comes to purchasing jewelry. Expenditures on jewelry have a 97% correlation with the annual income levels of employees. Therefore, a blue-collar employee may spend as much as a white-collar employee on jewelry purchases. It all comes down to how much each individual makes. Data have also revealed that professional managers head about one-fourth of American households, and these households account for almost half of the total jewelry expenditures in the country. However, according to research conducted by the Department of Commerce, blue-collar consumers' average expenditures on jewelry are not as great as those of white-collar consumers.
