labor slang

[Mullins, Bill]

"Vivid Vernacular Coined by Labor" Dec 1, 1955; Christian Science Monitor
pg. B16/3

PIE CARD
"A pie card is a soft job, while therblig relates to time and motion study."

COOLIE OVERTIME, GALLOPING RATE
"A method of figuring overtime pay is sometimes called coolie overtime, or
galloping rate."

LAME DUCK, SOLDIER (v)
"For instance, lame duck has two meanings, a worker incapable of meeting his
quota, or one who "soldiers" or deliberately slows down production."

p. B16/4

BUG, SCABWAG
"A bug is a union lable, a scabwag is a defeatist talker who advocates going
back to work in an effort to break a strike."

NOBLES
"And when a union worker uses the term "nobles," the group can be sure that
he is doing it derisively.  He means armed guards hired to protect
strikebreakers."