I worked in a pork slaughterhouse for 4 years, back in the 1990s

worked side-by-side with immigrants from all over the world

germany

england

mexico

guatamala

phillipines

iraq

bangladesh

saudi arabia

bosnia

and these were “transient workers”

meaning they were just passing thru

why?

because in a packinghouse, workers are seen as consumables

they know a worker can only do a job for X years before getting “worn out” and needing to be replaced with a new worker

in the 1990s this seemed to be after 4-5 years

Anyone who got 5 years in, had a target on their back.

They would get fired for some bs reason

There was a new starting class of new hires, of about 40 new workers, every single Tuesday, for the entire time i was there

If you wanted a job at the packinghouse, you could start the very next Tuesday, guaranteed

Why is this important?

Why am i writing this post?

Because the packinghouse “HR” human respurces strategy requires a constant supply of new hires every week

and if they can’t get new hires, then the cost of older worker injuries skyrockets

In the old days, the slaughterhouse business model was more like a skilled butcher, where each worker could do all the jobs in a department, and all the workers rotate from job to job

But the bosses eventually noticed it was more profitable to keep 1 worker on the same job, so he gets very specialized, and fast at that job.

Then the boss can crank up the line speed

Line speed was 1200 head/hr in 1990s

Imagine keeping that pace for 5 years

One of ways big slaughter was able to exploit workers, was to keep replacing them before they became problematic

And they could only do this with lax immigrantion policies

Some of our workers were “legal”

Some of our workers were “illegal”

It was an open secret.

Nobody cared,

Because its not like there was a lack of jobs!

Nobody who wanted to work was turned away

Black, white, brown, yellow, sand

So, if you like your meat to be affordable,

Then now is the time to reform meatpacking labor practices.

Make the slaughterhouse rotate workers around, instead of leaving them on the same job for months or years

If you have never worked in a slaughterhouse…

maybe you should go apply…??

Im sure they are hiring!

And you could probably start next Tuesday!

Esp with fresh labor supply in a pinch