head table n.— «A survey of the workers confirmed what the plant’s nurses had suspected: those who got sick were employed at or near the “head table,” where workers cut the meat off severed hog heads.» —“A Medical Mystery Unfolds in Minnesota” by...
Black Wednesday n.— «Around five million workers—about one in six of the UK’s workforce—will pull a post New Year’s Eve sickie today. Black Wednesday, as it has been dubbed by employers, will also see one in 1,000 people quit their jobs and one in...
double veteran n.— «During the Vietnam War, American soldiers earned the title of double veterans when they raped civilian women before murdering them.» —“Is the US fighting for women’s liberation?” by Elizabeth Schulte Socialist Worker Dec. 7...
ride jockey n.— Note: The Historical Dictionary of American Slang dates this use of “jockey” meaning “an operator, handler, or worker” to 1908. «Dodson joined the Louisiana fair Wednesday.…Before working the games, or the “joints” as they’re...
Bedouin n.— «If only we Bedouins—to use a term catching on in San Francisco to describe roaming workers armed with laptops and cellphones—could unionize. Suggested motto: Coffee-shop squatters of the world, unite!» —“Ode to Annoying Co-Workers” by...
mini-med n.— «There, employers with less than 25 workers—and at least half of those workers earning less than $41,000—can offer what some insurers call a “mini-med” plan. Premiums can come in at less than $100 per month.» —“Healthcare coverage for...