Paul van Liempt: Blue-Collar Bonanza

A few years ago, the outlook for skilled workers was bleak. But in 2025, things couldn’t be more different. The working class is sitting on a goldmine, says writer and journalist Paul van Liempt. This shift inspired him to write Blue-Collar Bonanza. How does he see the future of the labor market?

Van Liempt had actually planned to write this book ten years ago, he says at the beginning of the interview. But that plan was postponed. “Other things felt more urgent at the time,” he says at the start of the interview. “Which was probably for the best—because back then, the message would’ve been completely different. I would’ve missed the mark entirely.”

What made the essence of your book shift? How has the labor market evolved in the meantime?

“Over ten years ago, the general belief was that robots and other forms of automation would take over much of the work done by manual professionals, just as the well-known economist Keynes once predicted. The basic idea was: get a hobby, because the 15-hour workweek will be the new normal. It’s the kind of doomsday scenario that tends to pop up whenever new technology enters the picture. But just a few years later, the reality turned out to be the exact opposite. Staff shortages are now skyrocketing. All the reports, respected economists, and advisory bodies like the SER and WRR agree: the tight labor market is likely to last another twenty years. So we’ll have to adapt to a completely new reality. That shift really intrigued me—and gave me a solid reason to finally write the book.”

For this book, Van Liempt delved into relevant reports and policy papers, read countless books, and spoke to a long list of people connected to the changing labor market: professionals in the field, students, school directors, healthcare managers, university professors across different disciplines, policymakers, lobbyists, and CEOs of big companies. Among others, he spoke with former education minister Robbert Dijkgraaf, Piet Fortuin (chair of CNV), Doekle Terpstra (chair of Techniek Nederland), Ingrid Thijssen (chair of VNO-NCW), and Jacco Vonhof (chair of MKB-Nederland).

What did those conversations reveal?

“The main takeaway is that the growing shortage of skilled professionals is shifting the balance of power. The blue-collar workers—as I call them in the book—are gaining ground. Their work deserves greater recognition. According to SER chair Kim Putters, the Netherlands is bursting with ambitious plans, but we currently lack the people to carry them out. There’s plenty of policy and vision, but execution is falling behind. Labor market professor Ton Wilthagen voiced a similar concern. He described the labor market as ‘society’s Achilles’ heel’. With critical shortages in technicians, healthcare, hospitality, retail, and food industry personnel, we risk stalling our prosperity. And he meant prosperity in the broadest sense—well-being included.”

How does this shift in power dynamics affect the workplace?

“The expertise of hands-on professionals is becoming far more important. That doesn’t mean we should leave policymaking entirely in their hands—that would be a trap. But cooperation between managers and frontline workers is essential. Simply sitting down together regularly, asking each other questions, and actually listening: ‘How do you approach this? Does this work for you?’ We’re all familiar with that manager who throws ‘brilliant’ ideas over the fence, expecting employees to carry them out without question. Or the one who’s just looking for a few ‘puppets’ to get things done—a terrible expression. That patronising style is outdated. And so is the deep-rooted notion that the Netherlands must be a knowledge economy first and foremost. I always feel slightly annoyed when I hear that. The Netherlands also needs to be a doer’s country. Knowledge and execution are both desperately needed. One doesn’t work without the other. It may sound like a boring, balanced message—but it’s one with broad support.”

In the food industry, robots are increasingly being used. How does that affect the rise of blue-collar workers?

“Robots and other technologies are essential—especially now, with so much political debate and uncertainty around the future of migrant workers, who are overrepresented in this sector. But many tasks within the food industry, can’t be automated for the time being, think about operating and maintaining machinery, certain quality checks, and specific manual work like precision cutting in the meat sector. Skilled professionals will continue to be in high demand for decades to come.”

“There’s also a lot of buzz around AI. Understandably so—it will push the labor market forward, but it will also cause disruption. For instance, AI makes education levels less relevant, because for the first time, technology can take over work usually done by highly educated people. That’s bound to eliminate some office jobs. But that’s only one side of the coin. It will likely take decades before AI transforms the labor market on a large scale. Moreover, the human touch will remain crucial. Again, it’s a case of and-and.”

You predict that labor shortages will also lead to greater financial equality between policymakers and skilled professionals. But how realistic is that? Doesn’t it require a shift in mindset?

“A shift in mindset is exactly what’s needed. Skilled workers are still too often seen as subordinate. But with rising demand, their wages will inevitably increase. The working class is sitting on a goldmine. I also expect that, over time, the pay gap between skilled workers and their managers will narrow—though standout talent should still earn more. A manager who truly makes a difference deserves more than an interchangeable coordinator. The Council for Public Administration—which advises on the functioning of government—has also called for more investment in frontline roles. The more we hear that kind of message, the sooner we’ll see a true blue-collar bonanza. And in fact, it’s already happening: try finding an affordable plumber or electrician these days.

Paul van Liempt
Paul van Liempt is a writer, journalist, and moderator. As journalist he has worked for BNR, RTLZ, Het Financieele Dagblad, Vrij Nederland, and Het Parool, among others. He has written seven books on topics ranging from economics to criminal law and education. On May 1 (Labour Day), his latest book Blue-Collar Bonanza – Skilled Workers Will Be the Wealthy of the Future will be released.