Sense of loyalty to one's workplace? I think the corporation's loyalty dissipated *first*.

I remember an uncle of mine worked for 35 years at a Michigan foundry. A generation after my uncle began, my brother started working there- he received the same amount per hour as my uncle did.

As for this kind of behavior: "The day after Boxing Day, still snowing, many people walked 10 miles to work and then another 10 miles home that evening..." I think it's insane.

Have you tried slogging through snow? I have. I used to do a lot of hiking in the mountains in the wintertime. I enjoyed it; I even enjoyed the exhaustion at the end of the day.

Slogging through snow takes a LOT more time than walking on bare ground. Even if you're a pretty good walker, averaging 6 miles an hour, walking in snow is going to take you more than twice as long.

So, in walking 10 miles to work and 10 miles back, the trek alone is going to use up at least six hours of your day; plus once you are there and giving them 6 or 8 hours at work...?

I suspect that statement is hyperbolic.