The Collar Colour of Workers......

[Mike]

..... What is it?

I was watching something on TV tonight and they
talked about American Civil Servants, working for
the Government being "Blue Collar" workers.

As far as I am aware over here, white collars were
office workers and blue collars were Engineers or
some other lowly class in the eyes of the office workers.

Can anybody explain the difference please.

I suppose that it will be different in each country.

Mike.

 

[tnthomas]

I would put Engineers in the "white collar" category, as they are well educated and mostly work in offices. "Blue collar" workers usually do physical labor, like a carpenter, welder or plumber. These people usually have training, and are paid a decent wage.

Here in the U.S. office workers aren't necessarily paid more than blue collar workers, nor do they automatically enjoy any higher 'status' or respectability.

 

[Cookie]

Here in Canada white collar workers are office management or administrative managers, pink collar workers are clerical staff like secretaries and clerks in a bank, blue collar workers would be factory workers, steel workers, garbage collectors, plumbers, carpenters, etc. Don't know where engineers would fit, maybe depending on their work duties -- going underground into a sewer tunnel (blue), working in an official capacity supervising staff in an office (white). Usually its the uniform that gives the clue.