Were unskilled workers typically low or high paid?

Unskilled workers were typically low paid due to the nature of the jobs they performed. These positions often required minimal training or specialized skills, making it easier for employers to fill them and leaving workers with less bargaining power when it came to wages. Consequently, the supply of labor was high, which further drove wages down. Low pay for unskilled labor is a historical trend observed in various industrial settings, reflecting both the economic conditions and the value attributed to jobs that require less training and expertise. This context reinforces the understanding that wages for unskilled positions remain at the lower end of the pay scale, reinforcing the classification of this type of labor as low-wage work.