Green’s Dictionary of Slang

an employed person.

1830		Ely’s Hawk & Buzzard (NY) 26 June 3/2: I would advise a certain good looking young fellow [...] not to get sucked in by any of those virtuous workies in the neighbourhood.
1850		‘Ned Buntline’ G’hals of N.Y. 75: Wot wos it that first induced bosses to cut down the wages of the workies so low, that it’s nex’ to impossible for the poor things to live wirtuous and honest [...] – willainy!
1883		Century Mag. 25 788: Take away this rest-day, and you [...] turn us into a nation of mere ‘workies’ .
1939		Knickerbocker (N.Y.) Aug. 138: There is no poetry in the woodpecker [...] He is a practical body — a regular ‘worky’ .
1993		I. Welsh Trainspotting 73: Temps resents dole-moles having a good time, like all workies do.
2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 424: It felt like hugging a workie’s pneumatic drill.