Most “unskilled labor” is heavily skill dependant. You wouldn’t want a chef, builder or plumber who didn’t know what they were doing. And for production: machinists, mechanics and foremen make or break profit with their skills.
So what’s a better name for these jobs?
Maybe basic education labor?
Or just “base labor”?
Base could convey both being the basis of society and/or the foundation of it.
I’m thinking the complement could still be skilled labor, or advanced or specialised labor.