From collection Kosti Ruohomaa Collection
ARMA Plant Workers 5
In this image, a group of workers gather for a snack or lunch break in what appears to be a temporary storage space. They perch informally on boxes and stools, visibly enjoying each other's company.
In 1945 Ruohomaa took on a Time/Life assignment to capture life inside one of the home front factories: this one an ARMA Plant which produced electrical appliances for the U. S. military. Scenes include higher and lower skilled workers performing hand as well as machine tasks. The images reflect the modern machinery of the retooled plants as well as the new demographic of the wartime labor force: women, African Americans, and older people.
