noun
Refers to a person engaged in physical or manual labor, often at a construction site, factory, or similar setting. Typically implies a blue-collar role.
工事現場で作業員が安全ヘルメットをかぶっている。
Workers are wearing safety helmets at the construction site.
この工場では多くの作業員が夜勤を
Many workers at this factory work the night shift.
職人 implies a skilled craftsman or artisan, whereas 作業員 is a more general term for a manual worker without necessarily implying specialized skill.
Compound of 作業 (work, operation) and 員 (member, personnel). The word straightforwardly means 'personnel engaged in operations'.