At the very end of America's industrial boom a black single mother from Ohio with many problems but a strong work ethic got a job assembling car parts for General Motors. The year was 1988, and Tammy Thomas thus became one of the last Americans to know the security of a post-war, union-crafted factory contract. A diligent sort, she found she could cover two assembly-line stations at once, allowing her to collect an occasional $20 from a colleague who needed an hour to sober up after lunch. Thanks to agreements between her employer and the local chapter of the Electrical Workers union, she received 80% of her pay even when doing nothing in quiet months.
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