Gearman

As gearman I have to see that the brakes are in perfect order; cars are in running order on 23d Street line at present.

In this case the gearman's job consists simply in keeping the slime off the drum with bathbrick and attending to the oiling.

Before a job is begun the nature of the cargo and the gear that will be required is determined; required gear is taken out of stock in the gear locker room by the gearman. It is then loaded on the gear trucks and driven to the pier […]

It is therefore difficult to know where the gearmen's loyalty ends and their employer's dependence begins. Gearmen have an equally complicated relationship with fellow longshoremen.

Dreamy was working him on the gear with the gearman during the day, checking clusters, replacing burned out bulbs, repairing tents, changing runners, replacing guys, trimming derricks.