Sentence:  If before the war better-skilled smeltermen had little recourse against <WSD>deadheaders</WSD>, during the war they joined with foremen, itself a telling alliance, in using patriotic expectations to discipline those they believed were illegitimate <WSD>deadheaders</WSD>. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  One who does not work very hard at his or her job.