The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 plus 3 plus 4 letter word RANK AND FILE
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
R
A
N
K
A
N
D
F
I
L
E
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Ordinary workers" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case ordinary workers = rank and file.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does RANK AND FILE mean?
RANK AND FILE noun- Enlisted soldiers in a military organization, as would be arrayed in a grid pattern with ranks and files.
- Members of an organization who are not in leadership positions.
- Belonging or pertaining to the rank and file