I'm getting stuck into season 5 and just watched "FIFTY-TWO FORTY-FIVE OR WORK" I was just wondering what the title means.

I haven't watched that one in a long time so I am just guessing that the fifty-two forty-five refers to how much he'd collect in unemployment? $52.45? Since it's been some time since I've seen that one, I can't remember if they mentioned the amount of unemployment or not.

You've got a good memory. The unemployment cheque was for Forty-Five dollars. Would Fifty-Two be a term for going on strike perhaps? I doubt it though because the writers shied away from using the vernacular of the period so the show wouldn't date in reruns.

Fifty four forty or fight was an old campaign slogan. Here are the details:

http://geography.about.com/od/politicalgeography/a/5440orfight.htm

The title was just a play on words. Although it's been awhile since I saw the show, perhaps the check was originally $52.00 and after paying $7.00 in taxes, he was left with $45.00. Then he had a choice, either take the $45.00 or take the other job. I also seem to remember them having just bought a dinning room set; was the cost $52.00? Either way, the title was referring to the old campaign slogan.

On a side note, the slogan was referred to again in a Brady Bunch episode:
54-40 and Fight, where the kids had to decide what to do with a combined 94 books of trading stamps.

On a side note, the slogan was referred to again in a Brady Bunch episode:
54-40 and Fight, where the kids had to decide what to do with a combined 94 books of trading stamps.Also, the episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" about the IRS audit was called "1040 or Fight".