Final answer:
The increase in the CEO-to-blue-collar worker pay ratio from 42 times in 1980 to 419 times signifies a significant d. widening of income disparity, showing a stark increase in income inequality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The change in the CEO-to-blue-collar worker pay ratio from 42 times in 1980 to 419 times reflects widening income disparity. Over the years, CEO pay has increased dramatically compared to the pay of the average worker. Reports and analyses, such as those by Manuel Castells and from sources like The Consumerist, indicate that a significant increase in income inequality started in the 1980s, where the wealth of the top 1 percent drastically increased. Meanwhile, the earnings of the average worker have only grown marginally, leading to a greater divide between the rich and the poor.