Chapter 4
Bonus? Humbug!
The first payday in December was always very special to the employees. The Mill gave a $50 Christmas bonus plus a certificate for a country ham from the company store. For some employees, the cash bought the bulk of the Christmas presents for their children. The ham usually served as the Christmas dinner.
The 3 o’clock whistle blew, and the first shift rushed to pick up their checks and bonuses. Instead of a bonus check or a ham coupon, they found the following letter:
Dear Fries Employees,
Due to severe international competition in the textile industry, the Washington Group must close operations at its Fries plant until further notice, and cancel all Christmas bonuses. We will evaluate all scenarios and exploring possible solutions that might allow us to resu
