U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR JAMES J. DAVIS, Secretary BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS ETHELBERT STEWART, Commissioner BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES \ XT A*J*} BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS/ • • • • fl|0. 'ri L WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR SERIES WAGES and HOURS OF LABOR IN THE SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY 1927 JANUARY, 1929 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1929 Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Transcript
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABORJAMES J. DAVIS, Secretary
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICSETHELBERT STEWART, Commissioner
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES \ XT A*J*}BUREAU OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S / • • • • fl| 0 . 'r i L
W A G E S A N D H O U R S OF L A B O R S E R I E S
WAGES and HOURS OF LABOR IN THE SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
1927
JANUARY, 1929
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 1929
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CONTENTS
PageIntroduction and summary_______________________________________________ 1-29
Table 1.— Average hours and earnings with index numbers, in specified years, 1917 to 1927, by department, sex,occupation, and year___________________________________ 2-29
Average hours and earnings, 1925 and 1927, by State____________________ 29, 30Table 2.— Number of establishments and of wage earners, and
average hours and earnings, 1925 and 1927, by sex andState___________________________________________________ 30
Average and classified earnings per hour__________________________________31-33Regular or customary hours of operation_________________________________ 34-37Basic or regular full-time hours per day and per week____________________ 38, 39Bonus systems____________________________________________________________ 39, 40Hours, overtime rates, and guaranteed hours of pay______________________40-43Days on which wage earners worked, 1927_________________ ______________44, 45Index numbers of employment and of pay rolls, 1922 to 1928____________45, 46Scope and method________________________________________________________ 46, 47Importance of the industry_______________________________________________ 47, 48General tables___________________________________________________________ 49-129
Table A.— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full
time worked, 1927, by occupation, sex, and district___50-91Table B.— Average and classified earnings per hour in 31 specified
occupations, 1927, by sex and district________________ 92-101Table C.— Average and classified full-time hours per week in 31
specified occupations, 1927, by sex and district______ 102-108T able D.— Average and classified hours actually worked in one
week in 31 specified occupations, 1927, by sex anddistrict______________________________________________ 109-119
Table E.— Average and classified actual earnings in one week in 151specified occupations, 1927, by sex and district_____ 120-129
Appendix.— Slaughtering and meat, packing departments and occupations____________________________________________ _ 131-163
h i
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BULLETIN OF THE
U. S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICSn o . 472 WASHINGTON J a n u a r y , 1929
WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR IN THE SLAUGHTERING AND MEATPACKING INDUSTRY IN 1927
INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY
Average earnings and hours of labor for 1927 for the wage earners in all occupations combined and for the wage earners in each of the occupations in 13 important departments of the slaughtering and meatpacking industry in the United States are here presented. Summary figures for 1927 and from Bulletins 252, 294, 373, and 421 for the years 1917, 1921, 1923, and 1925 are given in Table 1, making easy the comparison of the averages for one year with any other for which figures are available.
Averages are shown at the beginning of Table 1 for males, females, and for males and females in all occupations in the 13 departments of the industry included in the study for each of the specified years from 1917 to 1927. Data are presented for a total of 66 establishments in 1917, 34 in 1921, 38 in 1923, and for 86 in 1925 and 1927. Males were employed in each of these establishments and females in 51 of the 66 in 1917, 31 of the 34 in 1921, 37 of the 38 in 1923, and in 78 of the 86 in 1925 and 1927. Average full-time hours per week for males were48.4 in 1921, 52.2 in 1923, 50.2 in 1925, and 49.3 in 1927; for females,48.3 in 1921, 52.8 in 1923, 49.4 in 1925, and 49.1 in 1927; and for both sexes, 48.4 in 1921, 52.3 in 1923, 50.1 in 1925, and 49.3 in 1927. Average full-time hours are not available for 1917. Average earnings per hour for males increased from 27.1 cents in 1917 to 51.1 cents in 1921, decreased to 49.9 cents in 1923, increased to 50.7 cents in 1925 and to 52 cents in 1927. Those for females increased from 17.8 cents per hour in 1917 to 36.5 cents in 1921, decreased to 36.1 cents in 1923, decreased to 35.9 cents in 1925, and increased to 36.4 cents per hour in 1927. Average earnings per hour for all males and females combined increased from 26.2 cents in 1917 to 49.7 cents in 1921, decreased to48.4 cents in 1923, increased to 49.2 cents in 1925 and to 50.1 cents in 1927. Average full-time earnings per week for males based on average full-time hours per week and average earnings per hour were $24.73 in 1921, $26.05 in 1923, $25.45 in 1925, and $25.64 in 1927; for females were $17.63 in 1921, $19.06 in 1923, $17.73 in 1925, and $17.87 in 1927; and for males and for females combined were $24.05 in 1921, $25.31 in 1923, $24.65 in 1925, and$24.70 in 1927. Index numbers of average full-time hours per week, of average earnings per hour, and
1
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2 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
of average full-time earnings per week with the 1921 average taken as the base, or 100 per cent, are also presented in the table for the 13 departments of the industry and for each occupation.
Average full-time hours per week of males by occupations in 1927 range from 47.5 for cooks in the canning department to 56 per week for smokers in the cured-meat department, and those of females range from 46.3 for labelers and wrappers in the canning department to51.5 per week for pluck trimmers in the offal department.
The 1927 average earnings per hour of males by occupations, excepting head holders, range from 39.1 cents for passers and pilers of cans in the canning department to 87.7 cents per hour for floor men or siders in the cattle-killing department, and of females range from30.2 for wipers of filled cans in the canning department to 43.9 cents for stuffers in the sausage department. The occupation of head holders in the cattle-killing department is unimportant in number of wage earners. They hold the head of the animal for the kosher sticker.
Average full-time earnings per week of males in 1927 by occupations (head holders excepted) range from $20.94 for truckers in the canning department to $43.15 for floor men or siders in the cattle-killing department.
T a b l e 1 .— Average hours and earnings with index numbers, in specified years, 1917 to 1927, by department, sex, occupation, and year
Grand Total, All Departments
Aver AverIndex numbers of—
Sex, occupation, and year
Number of establish
ments
Number of em
ployees
agefulltimehours
perweek
Average
earnings per
hour
age fulltime earn
ings per week
Average full
time hours
per week
Average
earningsper
hour
Average full
time earn
ings per week
All occupations, males:1917___________________________ 66 55, 089
1927...................... .......................... 66 219 50.4 .5891 Includes drivers, penners, steamers, singers, washers, aitchbone breakers, and toe pullers.2 Includes tub men, droppers, gamb cutters, polemen, and duckers.* Includes hookers-off, hangers-off, straighteners, and chain feeders.
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INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 7T a b l e 1 . — Average hours and earnings with index numbers, in specified yearsf
1917 to 1927, by department, sex, occupation, and year— Continued
Hog-killing Department—Continued
Sex, occupation, and year
Number of establish
ments
Number of em-
pioy-
Aver-age
fulltimehours
perweek
earnings per
hour
Average fulltime earn
ings per week
Index numbers of—
Average full
time hours
per week
Average
earningsper
hour
Average full
time earn
ings per week
m a l e s— continued
H am facers:1917_____________ ____________1921.... ............ ........... ................1923-...........................................1925...... ..................... ..................1927...................... ........................
Total males:1917..................................1921.................... ...............1923-................... ...........1925................ ...................1927....................................
FEMALES
Kidney pullers, shavers, singers, neck brushers, and spreaders:
4 Includes drivers, penners, holders, shovers, hookers-on to conveyors, hangers-up of racks, and squilgeers.1 Includes hookers-up of fore quarters and hind legs, shoulder punchers, and shank pinners.
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INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 9T a b l e 1 . — Average hours and earnings with index numbers, in specified years,
1917 to 1927, by department, sex, occupation, and year— Continued
Sheep-killing and Calf-killing Department—Continued
* Includes rib sawyers or Boston cutters, setters or Boston setters, caul dressers, and dressers.
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10 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e 1 .— Average hours and earnings with index numbers, in specified years, 1917 to 1927, by department, sex, occupation, and year— C o n tin u ed
12 Includes cutters, choppers, grinders, mixers, curers, and feeders.13 Includes washers, turners, re-turners, measurers, cutters, tiers, and fatters.14 Includes roustabouts, ham cylinder washers, cleaners-up, ham pressers, hangers, cooks’ helpers,
smokers’ helpers, truckers of cages or bikes.
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INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 21
Sausage Department—Continued
T a b l e 1 . — Average hours and earnings with index numbers, in specified years}1917 to 1927, by department, sex, occupation, and year— Continued
16 Includes labelers, laborers, box makers, sorters, and utility women.17 Includes sorters, sizers, average men, spotters, inspectors, and chute men.18 Includes ham and meat passers, hamstringers, haulers to vats, meat carriers, hangers, scrapers, soakers,
tossers, washers, and wipers; roustabouts, servers, tiers, truck washers, vat washers, and helpers of graders, inspectors, pickle makers, pumpers, smokers, and sorters.
ly Includes packers of beef, barrel pork, bellies, briskets, pig rinds, and smoked meats; dippers, vat men, sweet-pickle packers, burlap sackers, wrappers, nailers, car loaders, and car stowers.
2• Includes pickle men, pickle makers, pumpers, and curers.
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INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 2 3
Cured-meat Department—Continued
T a b l e 1 . — Average hours and earnings vilh index numbers, in specified years,1917 to 1927, by department, sex, occupation, and year— Continued
AVERAGE HOURS AND EARNINGS, 1925 AND 1927, BY STATE
Table 2 presents averages for the years 1925 and 1927 for males, for females, and for both sexes combined, by States.
Average full-time hours per week for males in all States are 50.2 in 1925 and 49.3 in 1927, and for females 49.4 in 1925 and 49.1 in 1927. The averages for males by States range from 47.5 to 60.0 in 1925 and from 47.6 to 58.8 in 1927, and for females range from 47.8 to 55.4 in 1925 and from 46.8 to 56.8 in 1927.
Average earnings per hour for males in all States are 50.7 cents in 1925 and 52 cents in 1927, and for females 35.9 cents in 1925 and 36.4 cents in 1927. The averages for males by States range from 32.5 to57.5 cents in 1925 and from 34.4 to 60.2 cents in 1927, and for females range from 28.2 to 44.6 cents in 1925 and from 28.1 to 41.2 cents per hour in 1927.
Average full-time earnings per week for males in all States are $25.45 in 1925 and $25.64 in 1927, and for females $17.73 in 1925 and $17.87 in 1927. Full-time earnings per week for males by States range from $18.69 to $33.42 in 1925 and from $20.23 to $30.22 in 1927, and for females range from $13.54 to $22.84 in 1925 and from $13.54 to $20.68 in 1927.
109538°—29------ 3
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30 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e 2 . — Number of establishments and of wage earners, and average hours and earnings, 1925 and 1927, by sex and State
1 Shown together to avoid presenting data for 1 plant in 1 State. 3 Florida. * Florida and Georgia.
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SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY 3 1
AVERAGE AND CLASSIFIED EARNINGS PER HOUR
Average and classified earnings per hour are presented in Table 3 for the males in 24 important occupations in 8 departments and for females in 7 important occupations in 5 of the 13 departments in the slaughtering and meat-packing industry for which 1927 data are shown. These occupations were selected as representative of all of the occupations in the industry. They include unskilled, semiskilled, and skilled employees, and the 11,107 males in these occupations represent 22 per cent of the total number of males, the 3,502 females represent 49 per cent of the total number of females, and the males and females together represent 25 per cent of all the wage earners covered in 1927. Employees in these occupations are also classified by average earnings per hour and by districts in Table B, pages 50 to 91; by average full-time hours per week in Table 4, page 34, and in Table C, pages 102 to 108; by number of days on which employees worked in one week in Table 8, page 45; by hours worked in one week in Table D, pages 109 to 119; and by earnings in one week in Table E, pages 120 to 129.
The average earnings per hour of employees in the various occupations as shown in Table 3 were computed by dividing the combined earnings of all employees in the occupation during the week covered by the combined hours worked.
Average earnings per hour of males in these occupations range from44.2 cents for laborers in the hog-killing department to 87.7 cents for floormen or siders in the cattle-killing department, and of females range from 34.8 cents for miscellaneous workers in the offal department to 42.1 cents for trimmers of trimmings in the fresh-pork department.
Approximately 22 per cent of the 11,107 male employees in the 24 occupations earned an average of 60 cents or more per hour, and 51 per cent of them earned 50 cents or more per hour in the one-week pay period covered. Less than 1 per cent of the males earned under30 cents an hour and 5.3 per cent earned under 40 cents an hour.
Of the 3,502 female employees in 7 occupations 33 per cent earned 40 cents or more per hour, 85 per cent earned 30 cents or more, and 3.6 per cent earned under 25 cents per hour.
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T a b l e 3 . — Average and classified earnings per hour in 81 specified occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and occupation
Sex and occupation
CATTLE-KILLING DEPARTMENT
Males:Headers................................Leg breakers_______________Floormen or siders_________Gutters and bung droppers..Splitters. _................... ............Laborers................... ........... .
HOG-KILLING DEPARTMENT
Males:Laborers 2.................................Stickers^--------------- -----------Shavers and scrapers.............Gutters, bung droppers,
and rippers-open___---------Splitters--------- -------------------
OFFAL (OTHER THAN HIDES AND CASINGS) DEPARTMENT
Males:Trimmers__________________Tripe scrapers and finishers.
1 Less than 1 per cent.2 Includes drivers, penners, steamers, singers, aitchbone breakers, and toe pullers.3 Includes washers and tripe washers, scalders, cookers, scrapers, and finishers.4 Includes cutters, choppers, grinders, mixers, curers, and feeders.8 Includes packers of beef, barrel pork, bellies, briskets, pig rinds, and smoked meats; dippers, vat men, sweet-pickle packers, burlap sackers, wrappers, nailers, car loaders, and
car stowers.• Includes pickle men, pickle makers, pumpers, and curers.
COCO
AVERAG
E AND
CLASSIFIED
EARN
ING
S PER
HO
UR
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3 4 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
REGULAR OR CUSTOMARY HOURS OF OPERATION
Table 4 shows the per cent of employees in each of 31 specified occupations at each group of full-time hours per week for 1921, 1923, 1925, and 1927.
Full-time weekly hours of employees in each of the 31 occupations for which data are shown were greater in 1923 than in 1921, 1925, or 1927.
The full-time hours of approximately 94 per cent of the employees in the 31 selected occupations in 1921 were 48 or less per week, about 92 per cent being at 48 and 2 per cent less than 48. In 1923 the fulltime hours of only 29 per cent of the employees were 48 per week, and none had full-time of less than 48 hours per week. Sixty per cent of the employees in these occupations in 1925, and 77 per cent in 1927, had full-time hours of 48 or less per week.
T a b l e 4 . — Average and classified full-iime hours per week in 31 specified occupations, 1921 to 1927, by department, sex, and year
Cattle-killing Department
Sex, occupation, and year
Numberof
establish
ments
Number of em
ployees
Averagefulltimehoursper
week
Per cent of employees whose full-time hours per week were—
1 Less than 1 per cent.2 Included drivers, penners, steamers, singers, washers, aitchbone breakers, and toe pullers.* Includes washers and tripe washers, scalders, cookers, scrapers, and finishers.
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36 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e 4 . — Average and classified full-time hours per week in 81 specified occupations, 1921 to 1927, by department, sex, and year— Continued
Casing Department
Numberof
establish
ments
Number of em
ployees
Average
Per cent of employees whose full-time hours per week were—
Trimmers of trimmings:1921.............................................. .1923.................... ........ ................. .1925.......................... ......... ..........1927.............................................. .
89
- 3 1
68 1 2275 0) 17
88 1225 1 5565 3 2477 1 14
0)
1 kess than 1 per ceat.
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T a b l e 4 .— A v er a g e and classified full-time hours per week in SI specified occupations, 1921 to 1927, by department, sex, and year— Continued
Sausage Department
REGULAR OR CUSTOMARY HOURS OF OPERATION 37
Sex, occupation, and year
Numberof
establish
ments
Number of em
ployees
Averagefulltimehoursper
week
Per cent of employees whose full-time hours per week were—
i Less than 1 per cent.4 Includes cutters, choppers, grinders, mixers, curers, and feeders.« Includes packers of beef, barrel pork, bellies, briskets, pig rinds, and smoked meats; dippers, vat men,
gweet-pickle packers, burlap sackers, wrappers, nailers, car loaders, and car stowers.• Includes pickle men, pickle makers, pumpers, and curers.
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3 8 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
BASIC OR REGULAR FULL-TIME HOURS PER DAY AND PER WEEK
The basic or regular full-time hours per day and per week of each of the meat-packing plants for which data are presented in this report are the regular hours of operation when the plant is working its recognized standard of full-time hours— that is, the usual time from the beginning of work in the morning on each day of the week to closing in the afternoon, less the regular time off duty for the midday lunch or dinner. The hours per day and per week may be the same even though there is a difference in the time of beginning and quitting work. The hours of different plants may and often do differ on account of difference in time of beginning and quitting work, of amount of time taken at noon for the midday meal, of a short workday on Saturday or other week day, and at times on account of other causes.
Basic or regular full-time hours per week as presented in the tables of this report do not in any way indicate the amount of employment or the amount of unemployment during the pay-roll period covered. Some employees of an occupation may have worked more than full time due to overtime, while others may have worked less than full time on account of having been sick, disabled, or laid off part time, or of having been in service less than full time on account of termination of service before the end of the pay-roll period covered or of having entered service after the beginning of the period.
Table 5 shows basic or regular full-time hours per day and per week for the 34 plants covered in 1921, the 38 in 1923, and for each of the 86 covered in 1925 and in 1927. The majority of the plants in the industry established the 8-hour day in 1918. In July, 1922, the hours were increased to a 9-hour day, or 54-hour week, by many of those included in the 1921 study. Since then a very large number have returned to the 8-hour day or 48-hour week.
Line 1 of the table shows that the basic or regular full-time hours of 29, or 85 per cent, of the 34 plants covered in 1921 were 8 on 6 days, or 48 per week, with only 2 plants at 10 hours on 6 days, or 60 per week. Line 2 shows that the hours of 15, or 39 per cent, of the 38 plants covered in 1923 were 8 per day or 48 per week, and that the hours of 16, or 42 per cent, were 9 per day or 54 per week, thus showing an increase in the hours of some plants between 1921 and 1923 from 8 per day or 48 per week, to 9 per day or 54 per week. Line 3 reports the 1925 hours of 40 plants, or 46.5 percent, of the 86 plants covered in that year, at 8 on 6 days or 48 per week, of 18 at 9 hours on 6 days or 54 per week, and of 10 plants at 10 hours per day on 6 days or 60 per week.
Line 4 shows tthat of 55 plants, or approximately 64 per cent of the 86 plants covered in 1927, the hours were 8 per day or 48 per week; of 1 plant the hours were 8 on 5 days and 5 on 1 day; of 3 they were 9 on 5 days and 5 on 1 day or 50 hours per week; of 1 the hours were 9 ^ on 5 days and 5 on 1 day or 5 2 ^ per week; of 13 the hours were 9 on 6 days or 54 per week; of 5 they were 10 on 5 days and 5 on 1 day or 55 hours per week; of 1 the .hours were 9J/2 on 6 days or 57 per week; and of 7 they were 10 on 6 days or 60 hours per week.
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BONUS SYSTEMS 39
The weighted basic or regular full-time hours per week for all males, for all females, and for both sexes combined are shown at the beginning of Table 1, page 2.
Average basic or regular full-time hours per week and average hours actually worked in one week in 1927 are shown in parallel columns in Table A, pages 50 to 91. The average in one column shows the basic or regular full-time hours of work, while the average in the other column shows the hours actually worked in one week.
T a b l e 5 . — Basic or regular full-time hours of operation of plants on five days, on one day, and per week, in each specified year, 1921 to 1927
Number Number of plants in which the regular or customary hours of operation were-
1 Hours were 10 on M onday to Saturday for lard and oleo-oil and offal departments in 1 plant, and 8 on Monday to Friday and 5 on Saturday for cattle-killing, hog-killing, sheep-killing, offal, and casing departments in 1 plant.
2 Hours of females were 48 per week in 2 plants and 49H in 1 plant; and of employees in the maintenance and repair department were 48 per week in 2 plants.
3 Hours of females were 9 on Monday to Friday and 4 on Saturday in 1 plant.4 Hours were 60 per week in the cutting of fresh beef, lard, and oleo-oil, and maintenance and repair
departments.4 Hours of females were 10 on Monday to Friday and 5 on Saturday in 1 plant.
BONUS SYSTEMSOnly 3 6 of the 8 6 plants covered reported bonus systems in effect
at the time of the 1 9 2 7 study. The basis of each bonus, the employees who were entitled to the bonus, the amount of the bonus, and the conditions necessary in order to receive the bonus are presented in Table 6.
In 3 2 of the 3 6 plants a production or time-saving bonus was paid to part or all of the employees whereby their earnings at their regular rates were increased by the addition of a specified amount for producing more than a fixed standard of quantity in a stated period of time. In a few of these establishments the bonus applied to employees in specified departments or occupations only, but in most plants all employees in each occupation whose work could be adjusted or timed to the system were entitled to the bonus. In 2 plants an attendance bonus was paid for being at their places of work all the time there was work for them; in 1 plant an efficiency bonus of one-half cent for each hide was paid to the cattle-skinning gangs if not more than one-half of 1 per cent of the hides were damaged by cutting; and in 1 plant the cattle-skinning gang was paid an efficiency bonus, the shoulder boners were paid a meat-saving bonus, and the foremen and assistant foremen were paid a production bonus. The amount of the meat-saving and production bonus was not reported.
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40 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e 6 .— Bonus systems of 36 establishments in the slaughtering and meat-packingindustry, 1927
Number of establish
ments
Kind of bonus Wage earners entitled Amount of bonus Conditions
23 Production....... All whose jobs can be Based on job rate and Must exceed set standard
4
applied to standard of output in a unit of time.
All em ployees................
time saved.
80 per cent of time saved. 50 per cent of time saved.
of production.
Do.1 Do.1 ____ d o .__ .......... All employees in hog- Do.
1 ........do..... ..........killing department.
All employees except Based on time saved___ Do.
1 ____ do_________
maintenance and elevator men.
Wrappers and tiers of Based on rate and time Do.
1 ........do._ ..........smoked meat__.
Small stock-killing, jobsaved.
50 per cent of time saved. Do.
1 Attendance___
bing, ca ttle -k illin g , tank-house, o 1 e o o i 1, and beef-boning gangs.
All employees ____ __ . Not reported___________ Based on full-time attend
1 __ _ do............... Pickle-cellar and dry- salt gangs.
Cattle-skinning gang___
____ do_________________
$1.50 per week..... ............ance.
Full-time attendance.
1 Efficiency H cent for each hide____ Cut less than one-half of 1
( _ do _______ ........do_________________per cent of hides.
Cut less than 1 lA per cent of hides.
Leave less than one-halfMeat-saving . . .
Production
Shoulder boners ______ Not reported....................1
Foremen and assistant __ . do _ ______________
pound of B grade trimmings per hog.
Lower cost of production.foremen.
HOURS, OVERTIME RATES, AND GUARANTEED HOURS OF PAY
Overtime.— Table 7 shows the basic or regular hours of operation per day and per week for each of the plants covered in 1927, the number of plants that pay the regular rate for overtime or work in excess of the regular hours of operation per day or per week, and the number of plants that pay one and one-half times the regular rate for overtime or for work after a specified number of hours per day or per week. Reading from the table, in explanation of “ One and one-half times the regular rate after” a specified number of hours per day or week, it will be seen that the regular hours of 45 plants are 8 per day and 48 per week and that 17 of these plants do not pay for overtime at one and one-half times the regular rate until after 10 hours of work on any one day or 54 hours per week, which means that an employee whose regular rate is 50 cents per hour would be paid for the first 10 hours of work on any one day at 50 cents per hour and for any and all work in excess of the 10 hours at 75 cents per hour, and also that should an employee work more than 54 hours and not over 10 hours in any one day, he would be paid for the first 54 hours at 50 cents per hour and for the time in excess of 54 hours at 75 cents per hour. Of the 86 plants covered, 34 pay for overtime at the regular rate; 18 pay for overtime at one and one-half times the regular rate after normal hours per day or per week; 1 with regular hours of 8 per day or 48 per week pays one and one-half times the regular rate after 10 hours on any one day or 48 per week; 1 with regular hours of 8 per day and 48 per week pays one and oiiQ-kalf
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OVERTIME RATES AND GUARANTEED HOURS OF PAY 41
times the regular rate after 10 hours on any one day or 52 per week; 21 pay one and one-half times the regular rate after 10 hours on any one day or 54 per week; 10 pay one and one-half times the regular rate after 10 hours on any one day or 55 per week; and 1 with hours of 9 per day or 54 per week pays one and one-half times the regular rate after 50 hours per week.
Work on Sunday and holidays.— The table also shows that provision is made for payment for work on Sunday and holidays at the regular rate by 30 plants, at one and one-fourth times regular rate by 3 plants, at one and one-half times regular rate by 21 plants, and at two times the regular rate by 32 plants. In this industry work on Sunday and holidays is not frequent, especially on holidays, and is limited to a very small per cent of the employees of a plant, usually to mechanics in the maintenance and repair department, who repair equipment and buildings.
Guaranteed hours of pay .— In addition to data as to overtime and work on Sunday and holidays the table shows also that 26 of the 86 plants covered in 1927 do not guarantee any hours of pay per day or per week to any of their employees. All the employees of 48 plants, except luggers, are guaranteed 40 hours of pay per week. The luggers in these 48 plants are guaranteed 44 or 40 hours of pay per week, the guaranty being 44 hours in the great majority of them. The employees of certain specified departments of 8 plants are guaranteed 40 hours of pay per week. The guaranteed hours of pay to a few employees of 1 plant who do not live near the plant are 48 per week, to 9 butchers of 1 plant are 45 per week, to 2 splitters of 1 plant are 3 7 per week, and to all employees of 1 plant except power-house employees and roustabouts are 35 per week. Some plants that guarantee 40 hours’ pay per week pay for 6% hours each day the employee reports for duty and accepts .such work as is offered.
The guaranteed hours of pay assure to the employees pay at their regular rate for the specified number of guaranteed hours of pay whenever the hours of work available are less than the guaranteed hours of pay. To be entitled to pay, it is necessary for the employee? to report for duty and work all the hours of operation on each daj or in each week. Guaranteed hours of pay is much more extensive and general in this industry than in any of the other major industries.
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T a b l e 7 .— Basic or regular hours, and number of plants that pay for overtime and for work oh Sunday and holidays and guarantee hours ^of pay, 1927 ^
— ^ -----------=----- = * =
Basic or regular fulltime hours
Number of plants that pay for overtime at one and one-half times regular rate after—
Number of plants that pay for work on Sunday and holidays at—
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6 ____ 1010
10 j 60 10 | 19 60
6 6 6 11 ...... 1 1 1 1
Total, 86.I
34 18 1 1 21 10 1 30 3 21 32 26 56 4 48 12
110 hours M onday to Saturday, 60 per week, for lard and oleo-oil and offal departments.2 8 hours M onday to Friday, 5 on Saturday, 45 per week for cattle-killing, hog-killing, sheep-killing and calf-killing, offal, and casing departments.* Butchers only.* Employees of cattle-killing, hog-killing, sheep-killing and calf-killing, and the cutting departments only.* Employees in the cattle-killing, cutting of fresh beef, and offal departments.6 Few employees who do not live near the plant.7 Employees of the cattle-killing, sheep-killing and calf-killing, offal, hide, and casing departments.s All employees except piece workers, extra hide-cellar gang, and the maintenance and repair department.* 4 employees guaranteed 48 hours.
w Butchers in the cutting—fresh beef department only.11 2 splitters only.12 9 men on the killing floor.m All except power-house employees and roustabouts, n 48 hours per week in the maintenance and repair department.i« 48 hours per week for the maintenance and repair department and 49^ hours for all females. m 48 hours for females.17 49 hours for females.I* 60 hours per week for cutting of fresh beef, lard and oleo-oil, and maintenance and repair departments. m 65 hours per week for female*.
CO
OVERTIM
E RATES
AND G
UAR
ANTEED
H
OURS OF
PA
Y
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44 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
DAYS ON WHICH WAGE EARNERS WORKED, 1927
Table 8 shows for male employees in 24 and for female employees in 7 representative occupations in the industry the average number of days on which the employees in each occupation worked in one week and the per cent who worked each specified number of days in the week. “ Days worked” as used in this table means the number of calendar days on which employees did any work. A full day or any part of a day was counted as a day. The average number of days worked by employees in the occupation is a simple average obtained by dividing the aggregate number of days on which any work was done by the total number of employees in the occupation.
The 119 headers, male, of 51 plants in the cattle-killing department for whom data are shown in the table worked an average of5.4 days in one week. Two per cent of the 119 worked on 1 day only, 1 per cent on 2 days, 4 per cent on 3 days, 5 per cent on 4 days, 29 per cent on 5 days, 60 per cent on 6 days, and that no employees in the occupation worked on 7 days in the week. Employees shown in the table as having worked on more than 6 days were on duty on 1 day when the plant or department as a whole was not in operation and probably in most instances were given extra work in another occupation on that day. Those shown as having worked on less than 6 days lost 1 or more days of work on account of sickness or other disability, voluntary absence, or leaving the service before the end of the week or entering the service after the beginning of the week. A considerable number of the plants and departments were in operation less than 6 days during the week covered.
T a b l e 8 . — Average and specified number of days actually worked by employees in81 specified occupations in one week, 1927, by department, occupation, and sex
Department and occupation Sex
Cattle-killing:Headers_____________ ______Leg breakers________________Floormen or siders__________Gutters and bung droppers____Splitters______________________Laborers..... ......................... ........
Hog-killing:L a b o re rs , drivers, p en n ers,
steamers, singers, washers, aitchbone breakers, and toe pullers).
Stickers.......... .......... ............ ........Shavers and scrapers_____ ____Gutters, bung droppers, and
Offal (other than hides and casings):Trimmers_____________ _______Tripe scrapers and finishers____Trimmers...... ........ ................... .Miscellaneous workers (wash
ers and tripe washers, seald- ers, co o k e rs , scrapers, and finishers.)
1 Less than 1 per cent.
Male.... .d o .....do ...__do__.__do...
.do..
..d o ..
...d o___..d o___— d o.....
.do..
_do_... .d o___Female.. .. .d o .......
Number of establish
ments
Number ofem
ployees
Average number of days worked by employees in one week
Per cent of employees who in one week worked specified number of days
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INDEX NUMBERS OF EMPLOYMENT AND OF PAY ROLLS 45
T a b l e 8 . — Average and specified number of days actually worked by employees in 31 specified occupations in one week, 1927, by departmem, occupation, and sex— Continued
Department and occupation Sex
Number of establish
ments
Number of em
ployees
Average number of days worked by employees in one week
Per cent of employees who in one week worked specified number of days
Canning:Packers (sliced bacon and chip Female . 43 849 5.6 l 1 3 3 15 77 _
ped dried beef in cans, glassjars, or cartons by hand.)
Labelers and wrappers................ . . .d o ....... 14 134 5.6 i 1 1 2 22 73 —
1 Less than 1 per cent.
INDEX NUMBERS OF EMPLOYMENT AND OF PAY ROLLS, 1922 TO 1928
Index numbers of employment and of pay rolls in the slaughtering and meat-packing industry are presented in Table 9 for each month, July, 1922, to August, 1928, and for each of the years 1923 to 1927, inclusive. These numbers were computed from the volume of employment and the amoifht of the pay rolls for each of the months and years, with the 1923 average number of employees and the 1923 average amount of pay rolls taken as the base, or 100 per cent. The numbeis are published by the bureau in monthly reports on “ Employment in Selected Manufacturing Industries” in the United States.
During the period July, 1922, to August, 1928, both monthly employment and pay rolls were highest (107.9) and (109.6), respectively, in December, 1923, and lowest (76.2) and (78.1), in April, 1926. Index numbers by years were: Employment, 100 in 1923, 93.7 in 1924, 85 in 1925, 81.4 in 1926, and 81 in 1927; and pay rolls were 100 in 1923, 94.4 in 1924, 86.7 in 1925, 84.5 in 1926, and 84.4 in 1927.
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T a b l e 9 .— Index numbers of employment and of pay rolls, July, 1922, to August,1928, by month and year
Departments included in study.— The work in this industry begins with the driving of live cattle, hogs, sheep, lambs, and calves into the killing departments and ends only when every process necessary to convert the animals into the various meat products and byproducts have been completed. The work varies so that it is necessary that hours and earnings be shown separately by department and by occupation. Figures are shown for 13 departments— cattle- killing, hog-killing, sheep-killing and calf-killing, offal, hide, casing, cutting— fresh beef, cutting— fresh pork, laid and oleo-oil, sausage, cured-meat, canning, and maintenance and repair. Data were not taken for officials, clerks, salesmen, power-house employees, foremen, employees of box factories, brush, cooper, tin, or other shops in which products are entirely new, nor for employees of butterine, mincemeat, produce, extract, soap, curled hair, wool, bone, and fertilizer departments.
The departments and occupations are described in the appendix (pages 131 to 163).
Not all departments and occupations are found in every plant, nor are both sexes, as will be seen, for example, in reading the 1927 figures in Table 1, page — , for “ total males” and for “ total females” in the cattle-killing department. Data for that department and year are for 3,946 males of 74 plants and for only 23 females of 8 plants.
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IMPORTANCE OF THE INDUSTRY 47
A total of 86 plants were covered in the 1927 study, but 11 of them did no cattle killing. In 1 plant the cattle were slaughtered in the hog-killing department. All data for cattle killing and hog killing in this plant are included in hog killing because employees worked much more of their time in that department.
The 1927 data used in compiling this report were taken directly from the pay rolls and other records of 35 of the most important plants of the four large packing companies and from 51 plants of other companies. The data except for two plants are for a weekly pay period in October or November. The bureau here expresses its appreciation of the cooperation and courtesy extended by all of these companies. The plants are located in the most important meat-packing centers in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.
The 109,391 wage earners in 21 of these 23 States (excluding Connecticut and Oklahoma for which no separate figures are published by the Census Bureau) represent approximately 91 per cent of the 120,422 in the industry in all States in 1925. The 57,352 covered in the 1927 study is 47.6 per cent of the total number employed in the industry in 1923 and 52 per cent of the total number in the specified States (excluding Connecticut and Oklahoma). Including estimated number of wage earners in Connecticut and Oklahoma, the 23 States represent 92 per cent of the total in the industry in 1925.
IMPORTANCE OF THE INDUSTRYThe slaughtering and meat-packing industry is the largest engaged
in the production of food products and is also one of the largest and most important industries in the United States. According to the census report the value of products in this industry in 1925 was S3,050,286,291. Consumers of cattle, hog, sheep, and calf products living in the large cities and great industrial centers are entirely dependent, and many of those living in the rural districts are to a very great extent dependent, upon the large packing companies for meat and meat food products. The large companies have at all times great quantities of fresh and cured meats and other meat food supplies in storage at the plants in which the animals are slaughtered and in which the meat and by-products are cured and prepared for food. They also have large branch storage houses in practically all of the important cities throughout the country, always well supplied to meet the demands of the local retail market. Refrigerator cars, owned, operated, and repaired by these large packing companies have regular routes, delivering to branch storage houses or to retailers in railroad towns and villages in which there is no storage.
Inspection of animals, carcasses, meats, etc., is made by employees of the Bureau of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture in all establishments for which data are shown in this report. This inspection is made to protect the public from diseased, unclean, or unwholesome meat and meat food products. A full description of such inspection appears in Bulletin 252, page 64.
The figures in Table 10 were compiled from the United States census reports. They show the importance of the industry and its growth during the period 1899 to 1925,
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T a b l e 10.— Establishments, capital, 0 / materials, mZwe 0 / products, employees, earnings and number, cost, and dressed weight of animals slaughtered, in each specified year, 1899 to 1925, and per cent of increase 1914t 1919, and 1925 over 1899
Number of establishments____________________________________ 45 48 44 Pounds, dressed weight, cattle.......... .......... .......... ............ ......... 17 59 69Capital . __ ______________________ 183 522 Number of hogs slaughtered............................. ......................... 13 46 57Cost of materials, principally liv e s to ck .__ ___________________ 111 455 285 Cost of hogs on hoof_______ ______ ______ ____________________ 115 532Value of all products, including value added by manufacture. _ Average number of wage earners _ _ _ __ ____________
111 442 289 Pounds, dressed weight, hogs_____________________________ . . 5 41 5145 135 76 Number of sheep and lambs slaughtered_____________________ 75 48 49
Amount paid to wage earners_____ __________________________ 88 533 382 Cost of sheep and lambs__________ _______ _______ ___________ 130 306Average yearly earnings of wage earners _ - 29 166 171 Pounds, dressed weight, sheep and lambs_________ __________ 62 29 37Pounds, dressed weight, of cattle, hogs, sheep, lambs, and calves. Number of cattle slaughtered __ ______
14 51 62 Number of calves slaughtered __________ __________ ____ _____ 128 397 55329 96 96 Coast of calves on hoof........... ......................................................... 300 1, 271
Cost of cattle on hoof _________ __________ 98 328 Pounds, dressed weight, calves. ....................................................... 161 478 690
J Data for plants with products under $5,000 in value included in years prior to 1921, but not for years 1921 and 1923.
1 Not available.
3 Not called for in blanks used by the Census for this year.* Estimated. Based on combined cost of cattle, hogs, sheep, lambs, and calves, 1
reported by U. S. Census, and on cost per 100 pounds from other sources.
SLAUG
HTER
ING
AND
MEAT-PAC
KIN
G
IND
UST
RY
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SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY 49GENERAL TABLES
In addition to the text tables already shown, five general tables are presented. In these tables segregation of information is made by districts as follows:
District 1.— Chicago.District 2 — Kansas City, Omaha, St. Joseph, St. Louis, and East
St. Louis.District 3.— Austin (Minn.), Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Mason
City, Milwaukee, Ottumwa, Sioux City, Sioux Falls, South St. Paul, Topeka, Waterloo, and Wichita.
District 4.— Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Oklahoma City.District 5.— Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis,
and Pittsburgh.District 6.— Boston, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, and
Springfield (Mass.).District 7.— Baltimore, Jacksonville (Fla.), and Moultrie (Ga.).District 8.— Denver, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco,
Seattle, and Tacoma.T a b l e A.— Average number of days on which employees worked,
average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full-time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district.
This table shows for each occupation and district all of the various averages which have been computed from the data collected in 1927. These are the averages of the days on which employees actually worked in one week, of full-time hours per week, of hours actually worked in one week, of earnings per hour, and of full-time and of actual earnings in one week.
The presentation in this table in parallel columns of “ Average full-time hours per week” and “ Average hours actually worked in one week77 is for the purpose of easy comparison of the average hours actually worked with the hours that would have been worked in one week had all employees in the occupation worked no more nor less than full-time during the week covered. One shows the average full-time hours per week under normal conditions, while the other shows the average hours actually worked in one week by all employees in the occupation.
T a b l e B.— Average and classified earnings per hour in 31 specified occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and district.Table C.—Average and classified full-time hours per week in 31 specified occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and district.
T a b l e D.— Average and classified hours actually worked in one week in 31 specified occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and district.
T a b l e E.— Average and classified actual earnings in one week in31 specified occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and district.
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50 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked t 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district
[District 1, Chicago. District 2, Kansas City, Omaha, St. Joseph, St. Louis, and East St. Louis. District 3, Austin (Minn.), Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Mason City, Milwaukee, Ottumwa, Sioux City, Sioux Falls, South St. Paul, Topeka, Waterloo, and Wichita. District 4, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Oklahoma City. District 5, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh. District 6, Boston, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, and Springfield (Mass.). District 7, Baltimore, Jacksonville, and Moultrie. District 8, Denver, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, and Tacoma]
45.9District 8............................. 8 8 95T o ta l.................................... 51 119 5.4 49.0 44.4 91 .662 32 .44 29.36
1 Included in total.
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GENERAL TABLES 51
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
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52 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
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GENERAL TABLES 53
CATTLE-KILLIN G D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
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54 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
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GENERAL TABLES 5 5
CATTLE-KILLING DEPARTM ENT—C o n tin u e d
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
T o ta l. ..................................... 8 23 5.9 48.3 47.0 97 .357 17.24 16. 76
* Included in total.
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56 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
* Included in total.* Includes drivers, penners, steamers, singers, washers, aitchbone breakers, and toe pullers. 3 Includes tubmen, droppers, gamb cutters, polemen, and duckers.* Includes hookers-off, hangers-off, straighteners, and chain feeders.
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Ge n e r a l t a b l e s 57
HOG-KILLING DEPARTMENT— Continued
T able A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by departmem, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
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58 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b le A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupaiion, sex, and district— Contd.
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GENERAL TABLES 5 9
SHEEP-KILLING AND CALF-KILLING DEPARTMENT
T a b le A . — Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earrings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— C ontd.
1 Included in total.8 Includes drivers, penners, holders, shovers, hookers-on to conveyors, hangers-up of racks, and
squilgeers.6 Includes hooking-up of fore quarters and hind legs, shoulder punchers, and shank pinners.
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60 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b le A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— C o n td .
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GENERAL TABLES 61
SHEEP-KILLING AND CALF-KILLING DEPARTM ENT—Continued
T a b l e A . — Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof fidl time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
1 Included in total.7 Includes rib sawyers, or Boston cutters, setters and Boston setters, and dressers.
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62 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
T o ta l . .. . .................... ............ 62 423 5.5 50.0 45.1 90 .445 22. 25 20.09
1 Included in total. 8 Indudes skull splitters, jawbone pullers, horn sawyers, and teeth grinders.
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GENERAL TABLES 63
OFFAL (OTHER THAN HIDES AND CASINGS) D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
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64 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
OFFAL (OTHER THAN HIDES AND CASINGS) DEPARTM ENT—Continued
Sex, occupation, and district
Number of esta b lish
m en ts
Number of em
ployees
Average
number of days
worked in one week
Averagefulltimehours
perweek
Average
hoiirs actually worked in one week
Per cent of
full time
actually worked
Average
earningsper
hour
Averagefulltimeearningsper
week
Average
earnings
made in one week
m a l e s — co n tin u ed
Shavers, cleaners, scrapers, and singers, pigs’ feet:
1 Included in total.8 Includes skull splitters, jawbone pullers, horn sawyers, and teeth grinders.
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GENERAL TABLES 65
O F F A L (O T H E R TH A N HIDES AND CASINGS) D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
T a b le A .— Average number of days on which employees' worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, averages earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
1 Included in total.• Includes washers, and tripe washers, scalders, cookers, scrapers, and finishers.
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6 6 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees 'worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district—■Contd.
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GENERAL TABLES 67
CASIN G D E P A R T M E N T -C ontinued
T a b l e A . — Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
Sex, occupation, and district
N um ber of establish
ments
Number ofem
ployees
Average
number of days
worked in one week
Averagefulltimehours
perweek
Average
hours actually worked in one week
Per cent of
full time
actually worked
Average
earnings
i Per ! hour
Averagefulltimeearningsper
week
Average
earnings
made in one week
males—continued
Blowers, graders, and inspectors: District 1........................... ........ 3 21 5.7
Total. ___................................. 65 i 296 | 5.6 49.8 47.2 95 .515 I 25.65 24. 33
1 Included in total.
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68 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
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GENERAL TABLES 69
CASIN G D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
T a b l e A . — Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
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70 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A . — Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
C U T T IN G —FR ESH BEEF D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
T otal.......................... 51 164 | 5.9 1 49.0 | 52.5 107 .584 i 28, G2 30. 665 Included in total.
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GENERAL TABLES 71
C U T T IN G -F R E S H BEEF D E P A R T M E N T — Continued
T a b l e A . — Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per toeek, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
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72 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
1 Included in total.10 Includes shovers, spacers, temperature men, counters, cutters-down, block tenders, sawyers-off of feet,
wrappers, machine tenders, cooler men, and skin bundlers.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
GENERAL TABLES 7 3
C U T T IN G -FR E SH PORK DEPARTMENT-Continued
T a b l e A . — Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
74 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
C U T T IN G —FRESH P O R K D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
GENERAL TABLES 7 5
CUTTING—FRESH PORK DEPARTM ENT -Continued
T a b l e A . — Average number of days on which employees ivorked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time ivorked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
T o t a l . . ............................. . 76 383 5.9 | 50.5 53.1 105 .501 25.30 26. 57
1 Included in totalh Includes packers, inspectors, wrappers, helpers, skin bundlers, labelers, graders, etc. 13 Includes kettle men, cooks, settlers, clarifiers, skimmers, tank men, and oleo makers.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
GENERAL TABLES 7 7
LARD AND OLEO-OIL DEPARTMENT—Continued
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
1 Included in total.13 Includes cutters, choppers, grinders, mixers, eurers, and feeders. m Includes washers, turners, re-turners, measurers, cutters, tiers, and fatters*
1 0 9 5 3 8 °— 2 9 — — 6
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
78 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A . — Average number of days on which employees worked, average f ull-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
I Included in total.II Includes roustabouts, ham cylinder washers, cleaners-up, ham pressers, hangers, cooks’ helpers,
smokers’ helpers, and truckers of cages or bikes.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
GENERAL TABLES 79
SAUSAGE D E P A R T M E N T -C ontinued
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
Sex, occupation, and district
Number of establish
ments
Number of em
ploy-, ees
Average
number of days
worked in one week
Averagefulltimehours
perweek
Average
hours actually worked in one week
Per cent of
full time
actually worked
Average
earningsper
hour
Averagefulltimeearningsper
week
Average
earnings
made in one week
m a l e s — co n tin u ed
Utility men, assistant foremen, straw bosses, subforemen, handy men, small-order men, an d all-round men:
i Included in total.18 Incrudes cutters, choppers, grinders, mixers, curers, and feeders, w Includes washers, turners, re-turners, measurers, cutters, tiers, and falters.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
80 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A . — Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
1 Included in total.16 Includes wrappers, inspectors, taggers, tiers, and packers’ helpers.17 Includes labelers, laborers, box makers, sorters, and utility women.18 Includes sorters, sizers, average men, spotters, inspectors, and chute men.19 Includes ham and meat passers, ham stringers, haulers to vats, meat carriers, hangers, scrapers, soakers,
tossers, washers, and wipers; roustabouts, sewers, tiers, truck washers, vat washers, and helpers of graders, inspectors, pickle makers, pumpers, smokers, and sorters.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
GENERAL TABLES 81
C U R E D -M E A T D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
T a b l e A . — Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
1 Included in total.20 Includes packers of beef, barrel pork, bellies, briskets, pig rinds, and smoked meats; dippers, vat men,
sweet-pickle packers, burlap sackers, wrappers, nailers, car loaders, and car stowers,21 Includes pickle men, pickle makers, pumpers, and curers.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
82 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of f ull time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
1 Included in total.22 Includes wrappers, labelers, laborers, packers, sewers (hand or machine), bag makers, weighers, tiers,
wipers, baggers, and trimmers.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
GENERAL TABLES 8 3
C AN N IN G D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
T able A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
8 4 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b le A . — Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
GENERAL TABLES 8 5
CANNING DEPARTMENT-Continued
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
Sex, occupation, and district
Number of establish
ments
Number of em
ployees
Average
number ofdays
workec in one week
Average fulltime
, hours per
week
Average
hours actuallj workec in one week
Percent of
T full , time actually worked
Average
earnings
r per L hour
Averagefulltimeearningsper
week
Average
earnings
made in one week
females—continued
Machine tenders (preparing and stuffing meat into cans):
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
86 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A . — Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
GENERAL TABLES 8 7
M AIN TEN AN CE AND R E P A IR D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
T a b le A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand, actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hourf and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
88 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A . — Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per cent of full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
24 Includes assistant foremen, boiler washers, cranemen, mjlders, oilers, pattern makers, pipe coverers, roofers, steel men, stencil cutters, utility and general workers.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
GENERAL TABLES 8 9
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR DEPARTMENT—C o n tin u ed
T a b le A . — Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
90 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per tveek, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupation, sex, and district— Contd.
M A IN TEN A N CE AND R E P A IR D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
GENERAL TABLES 91
MISCELLANEOUS EM PLOYEES, ALL DEPARTM ENTS—Continued
T a b l e A .— Average number of days on which employees worked, average full-timeand actual hours and earnings per week, average earnings per hour, and per centof full time worked, 1927, by department, occupatio7i, sex, and district— Contd.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[District 1, Chicago. District 2, Kansas City, Omaha, St. Joseph, St. Louis, and East St. Louis. District 3, Austin (M inn.), Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Mason City, Milwaukee, Ottumwa, Sioux City, Sioux Falls, South St. Paul, Topeka, Waterloo, and Wichita. District 4, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Oklahoma City. District 5, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh. District 6, Boston, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, and Springfield (Mass.). District 7, Baltimore, Jacksonville, and Moultrie. District 8, Denver, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, and Tacoma]
CATTLE-KILLING DEPARTM ENT
T a b l e B . — Average and classified earnings per hour for employees in 31 typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and district
Num ber of establish
ments
AverNumber of wage earners whose earnings per hour were—
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T able B . — Average and classified earnings per hour for employees in 81 typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and district Contd.HOG-KILLING DEPARTMENT
Number of establish
ments
AverNumber of wage earners whose earnings per hour were—
T ota l2.......... ................... 70 684 .532 2 4 10 11 83 201 145 97 44 26 12 10 7 9 4 | 11 8 I
1 Includes drivers, penners, steamers, singers, washers, aitchbone breakers, and toe pullers.2 Includes data for 1 establishment for which the details are not shown.
CD
GEN
ERAL TA
BLE
S
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b le B .— Average and classified earnings per hour for employees in 81 typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and district— Contd. SOO F F A L (O T H E R TH A N H IDES AND C ASIN G S) D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
Sex, occupation, and district
Num ber of establish
ments
Num ber of wage
earners
Average
earningsper
hour
Number of wage earners whose earnings per hour were—
District 8.............. ................... 1 i i !
Total 2_..................................\ i
27 221 .384 77 80 38 20 5 1 i
12 Includes data for 1 establishment for which details are not shown.8 Includes data for 2 establishments for which details are not shown.
< Includes washers and tripe washers, scalders, cookers, scrapers, and finishers. CD^1
GEN
ERAL TA
BLE
S
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b l e B .— Average and classified earnings per hour for employees in SI typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and district— Contd.C U TT IN G —FRESH BEEF D E P A R T M E N T
Num ber of establish
ments
AverNumber of wage earners whose earnings per hour were—
T ota l................................. . 76 402 .513 !_____ 2 1 9 53 140 81 54 26 15 10 4 I 6 1
2 Includes data for 1 establishment for which details are not shown. 4 Includes cutters, choppers, grinders, mixers, curers, and feeders. COCO
GEN
ERAL TA
BLE
S
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b le B .— Average and classified earnings per hour for employees in SI typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and district— Contd. gSAU SAGE D E P A R T M E N T —Continued O
Sex, occupation, and district
Num ber of establish
ments
Number of wage
earners
Average
earningsper
hour
Number of wage earners whose earnings per hour were—
Under25
cents
25and
under30
cents
30and
under35
cents
35and
under40
cents
40and
under45
cents
45and
under50
cents
50and
under55
cents
55and
under60
cents
60and
under65
cents
65and
under70
cents
70and
under75
cents
75and
under80
cents
80and
under85
cents
85and
under90
cents
90and
under95
cents
95and
under$1
$1and
under$1.25
$1.25and
under$1.50
$1.50and
under$1.75
males—continued
Stuffers:District 1 8
1516 7
13629
79112751761419
23
$0. 572 .587 .534 .616 . 570 .550 .484 .565
13181836
13
j 20 30 7 3 6
12 2 5
16141019542
18148
91612
210216
1.District 2 I 2
71
1311
331
4121
1 iDistrict 3
-------- i 7 1 ! -District 4 i 1 2 1 i ! 2District 5 12
2 Includes data for 1 establishment for which details are not shown.8 Includes packers of beef, barrel pork, bellies, briskets, pig rinds, and smoked meat; dippers, vat men, sweet-pickle packers, burlap sackers, wrappers, nailers, car loaders, and car I—i
stowers. O7 Includes pickle men, pickle makers, pumpers, and curers. h-
GEN
ERAL TA
BLE
S
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1 0 2 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
T a b l e C .— Average and classified full-time hours per week in 31 typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and district
[District 1, Chicago. District 2, Kansas Qjty, Omaha, St. Joseph, St. Louis, and East St. Louis. District 3, Austin (Minn.), Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Mason City, Milwaukee, Ottumwa, Sioux City, Sioux Falls, South St. Paul, Topeka, Waterloo, and Wichita. District 4, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Oklahoma City. District 5, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh. District 6, Boston, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, and Springfield (Mass.). District 7, Baltimore, Jacksonville, and Moultrie. District 8, Denver, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, and Tacoma]
C A T T L E -K IL L IN G D E P A R T M E N T
Num NumAver
age
Number of employees whose full-time hours per week were—
1 Includes data for 1 establishment for which details are not shown.1 Includes data for 2 establishments for which details are not shown.« Includes washers and tripe washers, scalcjers, cookers, scrapers, and finishers.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b l e C . — Average and classified full-time hours per week in 81 typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and district— Continued
CASING DEPARTMENT
GENERAL TABLES 105
Sex, occupation, and district
Number of establish
ments
Number of em
ployees
Average
fulltimehours
perweek
Number of employees whose full-time hours per week were—
Under48
48
Over48
andunder
54
54
Over54
andunder
60
60 Over60
MALES
Casing pullers or runners:District 1________ _____ _______ 5
6 Includes cutters, choppers, grinders, mixers, curers, and feeders.6 Includes packers of beef, barrel pork, bellies, briskets, pig rinds, and smoked meat; dippers, vat men,
sweet-pickle packers, burlap sackers, wrappers, nailers, car loaders, and car stowers.7 Includes pickle men, pickle makers, pumpers, and curers.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b l e C .— Average and classified full-time hours per week in 31 typical occupationsj 1927, by department j sex, and district— Continued
CANNING DEPARTMENT
108 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
Sex, occupation, and district
FE M A L E S
Packers (sliced bacon and chipped dried beef in cans, glass jars, or cartons, by hand):
Number of employees whose full-time hours per week were—
Under48
30
75
75
Over48
andunder
54
1651069694425323
26145
57
Over54
andunder
60
175
60 Over60
* Includes data for 1 establishment for which details are not shown.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
109538°—29
fDistrict 1, Chicago. District 2, Kansas City, Omaha, St. Joseph, St. Louis, and East St. Louis. District 3, Austin (Minn.), Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Mason City, Milwaukee, Ottumwa, Sioux City, Sioux Falls, South St. Paul, Topeka, Waterloo, and Wichita. District 4, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Oklahoma City. District 5, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh. District 6, Boston, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, and Springfield (Mass.). District 7, Baltimore, Jacksonville, and Moultrie. District 8, Denver, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, and Tacoma]
CATTLE-KILLING DEPARTMENT
T a b l e D .— Average and classified hours actually worked in one week by employees in 81 typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, anddistrict
Number of establish
ments
Number of em
ployees
AverageNumber of employees whose hours actually worked in one week were—
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b le D .— Average and classified hours actually worked in one week by employees in 31 typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, anddistrict— Continued
CATTLE-KILLING DEPARTM ENT—Continued
Number ofestablish
ments
Number of em
ployees
Average hours
actually worked in one week
Number of employees whose hours actually worked in one week were—
1 Includes drivers, penners, steamers, singers, washers, aitchbone breakers, and toe pullers.
GEN
ERAL TA
BLE
S
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b l e D . — Average and classified hours actually worked in one week by employees in 31 typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and ^district— Continued ^
H O G -K IL L IN G D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
Sex, occupation, and district
males—continuedGutters, bung droppers, and rippers-open:
* Includes data for 1 establishment for which details are not shown. < Includes washers and tripe washers, scalders, cookers, scrapers, and finishers. h—*■• Includes data for 2 establishments for which details are not shown. CO
GEN
ERAL TA
BLE
S
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b l e D . — Average and classified hours actually worked in one week by employees in 31 typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, anddistrict— Continued ^
C ASIN G D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
Number of establish
ments
Number of em
ployees
Average hours
actually worked in one week
Number of employees whose hours actually worked in one week were—
* Includes data for 1 establishment for which details are not shown.
Or
GEN
ERAL TA
BL
ES
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b le D .— Average and classified hours actually worked in one week by employees in 31 typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, anddistrict— Continued
C U T T IN G -F R E S H P O R K D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
Sex, occupation, and district
m ales—continued
Trimmers and ham and shoulder skinners:District 1___________ ________ _______District 2_................................................District 3__.................... ......... ...............District 4__.................................... ...........District 5______ _____ _____ __________District 6___ _______ _______ _________District 7..................................................
Total *....................................................
3 Includes data for 1 establishment for which details are not shown. 5 Includes cutters, choppers, grinders, mixers, curers, and feeders.
GEN
ERAL
TAB
LES
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
C U R E D -M E A T D E P A R T M E N T
T a b l e D . — Average and classified hours actually worked in one week by employees in 31 typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and £district— Continued 00
Sex, occupation, and district
Number of establish
ments
Number of
e m ploy
ees
Average hours
actually worked in one week
Number of employees whose hours actually worked in one week were
9 Includes data for 1 establishment for which details are not shown.Includes packers of beef, barrel pork, bellies, briskets, pig rinds, and smoked meat; dippers, vat men, sweet-pickle packers, burlap sackers, wrappers, nailers, car loaders, and
car stowers.7 Includes pickle men, pickle makers, pumpers, and curers.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[District 1, Chicago. District 2, Kansas City, Omaha, St. Joseph, St. Louis, and East St. Louis. District 3, Austin (Minn.), Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Mason City, Milwaukee, Ottumwa, Sioux City, Sioux Falls, South St. Paul, Topeka, Waterloo, and Wichita. District 4, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Oklahoma City. District 5, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh. District 6, Boston, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, and Springfield (Mass.). District 7, Baltimore, Jacksonville, and Moultrie. District 8, Denver, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, and Tacoma]
T a b l e E . — Average and classified earnings actually made in one week by employees in 81 typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, and ^district <3
C A T T L E -K IL L IN G D E P A R T M E N T
Num Num ber of em
ployees
Average earnings actually
made in one week
Number of employees whose actual earnings in one week were—
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b le E .— Average and classified earnings actually made in one week by employees in 81 typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, anddistrict— C ontinued K
H O G -K IL L IN G D E P A R T M E N T
Num Number of em
ployees
Averageearnings
Number of employees whose actual earnings in one week were—
1 Includes drivers, penners, steamers, singers, washers, aitchbone breakers, and toe pullers. 3 Includes data for 2 establishments for which details are not shown bO* Includes data for 1 establishment for which details are not shown. r o
GEN
ERAL TA
BLE
S
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b l e E .— Average and classified earnings actually made in one week by employees in 81 typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, anddistrict— Continued
O F F A L (O T H E R TH A N HIDES AND CASIN GS) D E P A R T M E N T — Continued
Num Num ber of em
ployees
Averageearnings
Number of employees whose actual earnings in one week were—
Sex, occupation, and districtber of establishments
2 Includes data for 1 establishment for which details are not shown.* Includes data for 2 establishments for which details are not shown.
4 Includes washers and tripe washers, scalders, cookers, scrapers, and finishers. t oOr
GEN
ERAL TA
BLE
S
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b l e E . — Average and classified earnings actually made in one week by employees in SI typical occupations, 1927, by department, sex, anddistrict— Continued
C U T T IN G —FRESH BEEF D E P A R T M E N T —Continued
fcOo
Num N um ber of em
ployees
AverageNumber of employees whose actual earnings in one week w'ere—
Trimmers and ham and shoulder skinnersDistrict 1___________________________District 2_ ................. .......... ...................District 3__............... ............. ...............
$42.30.33.39.30.31. 25. 28.
33. 38
112129253
25. 72 21.88 25.41
30
SLAUG
HTER
ING
AND
MEAT-PAC
KIN
G
IND
USTR
Y
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2 Includes data for 1 establishment for which details are not shown.6 Includes packers of beef, barrel pork, bellies, briskets, pig rinds, and smoked meat; dippers, vat men, sweet-pickle packers, burlap sackers, wrappers, nailers, car loaders, and
car stowers.7 Includes pickle men, pickle makers, pumpers, and curers.
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
APPENDIX
SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING DEPARTMENTS ANDOCCUPATIONS
CATTLE-KILLING DEPARTMENT
Under this department are included data for employees whose work is primarily that of slaughtering cattle. The information obtained from the pay rolls of a few establishments shows, however, that some employees also did other work. But the time worked in other than their specified regular occupation connected with cattle killing was but a very small per cent of the total time worked by them during the pay-roll period. In tabulating the data for this and all other departments, each employee who did work other than in his specified regular occupation has been included in the occupation in which he worked the most time. The average hours worked and the average earnings in one week and the average hourly earnings are for all work done during the weekly pay-roll periods of the establishments, including both the time worked at and the earnings for specified regular occupations and for any other work done during the pay-roll period. In 15 establishments a very small number of sheep and lambs were slaughtered during the pay-roll period for which data were obtained, the number being so small that a regular sheep-slaughtering gang was not necessary. In these establishments the sheep and lambs were slaughtered by a small number of the cattle-killing gang who were detailed temporarily to do this work. In seven establishments some of the cattle-killing gang also slaughtered hogs. The hours and earnings for this work are included in this department because the employees who did this worked much more of their time in this department than out of it.
Seventy-five of the 86 establishments that furnished 1927 data for this report slaughter cattle. In one of the 75 the cattle are slaughtered by the hog-killing gang, and the data for the work are shown in the hog-killing department because the employees who did it worked much more of their time in that department than out of it. Eleven plants do not slaughter any cattle.
A brief description of the occupations found in this department is here given in the regular order of their usual performance. The order varies in some establishments, due to different machinery and arrangement of buildings and rooms and especially to the size of the gangs or crews.
Drivers and 'penners.— Drivers drive the cattle from the establishment yards or pens to the killing floor. Little or no experience is necessary. Penners receive the cattle from the drivers, making a record of lot and lot numbers and place the cattle in small pens on the killing floor adjoining a narrow pen running parallel with and a
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little higher than the killing floor. This narrow pen is the one in which cattle are placed for knocking. The penner drives and prods the cattle into this pen. In some establishments one man does the driving and penning.
The knocking pen is about 4 feet wide and separated into compartments by gates, each compartment being about 10 feet long and 4 feet wide and large enough for two cattle at one time. It is separated from the killing floor by gates which are raised and lowered by machinery which is located overhead or in the gallery. When a rope attached to the machinery is pulled the machinery is set in operation, the gate to the killing floor is lifted, and, as the floor of the compartment is tilted on its axis by means of a chain which is attached to the gate and to the back part of the floor, the raising of the gate lifts the back part of the floor, lowers the front part and dumps the cattle, after they have been knocked, to the killing floor. The gate and the floor then automatically drop into position.
Knockers.— Walk on boards at the top and over the edge of the knocking pen or on a shelf-like platform about 2 feet from the top and on the opposite side of the knocking pen from the killing beds, strike the cattle on the forehead with a hammer which weighs about 4 pounds, pull the rope attached to the hoisting machinery and dump the cattle to the killing floor. When the knocker is assisted, the assistant, who is a laborer, pulls the rope.
Shacklers or stingers.— Attach one end of a short chain (with a hook on each end) around the hind feet of the cattle, hook the other end to the hoisting machinery, and pull a rope setting in operation the machine which hoists the cattle to an overhead rail leading to a point on the killing floor where the animals are to be stuck. In some establishments the animals are dropped automatically to this rail, while in others a laborer who works overhead or in the gallery hooks the cattle from the hoist to the rail. In establishments where cattle are slaughtered according to the kosher or Jewish method, the cattle are shackled, thrown to the killing floor, and partly hoisted, the head, neck, and shoulders resting on the floor. In these establishments the shackler is called a “ slinger.”
Stickers.— Stick the cattle in the neck through the chest to the hollow with a knife, cutting the arteries running from the heart to the neck.
Head holders.— Hold the head of the animal for the kosher sticker by attaching an instrument shaped somewhat like a muzzle over the nose and face and pull the head over to the floor, thereby stretching the neck. The muzzle or holder has a wooden handle about 3 feet l o n £ -When cattle are being slaughtered by the kosher or Jewish method, there are no knockers. The slinger throws the live animal by shackling the hind feet and then hoists it until the shoulder, neck, and head only are on the floor. While in this position the head is held by the holder and the sticker cuts the throat by drawing a very sharp knife across the throat a few inches from the head, cutting the jugular vein.
Headers,— Skin out the heads; that is, take the hides from heads and cut through the neck and joint of the vertebrae back of the head, cutting the head entirely from the carcass. In some plants headers do not complete the work of cutting the heads from the carcass
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but leave parts of it for another employee. The heads are kept in regular order so that they may be identified with the carcasses from which they came. The heads are trucked to a place convenient for the Government inspectors.
Droppers and pritchers-up.— These two occupations are combined because in many establishments one man does both the dropping and the pritching-up. Droppers drop the carcasses from the sticking or bleeding rail to the killing beds by pulling a rope attached to machinery in the gallery. Pritchers-up roll or raise cattle on backs with all feet up and keep them in that position by placing one end of a pritch (a small steel instrument about 2 feet long with a point on one end) against the breast or brisket and the other end against the floor.
Foot skinners.— Skin the fore legs from the foot to the knee and take off the leg at the knee joint. This operation consists of cutting through the skin at the back of the foot or hoof, cutting off the dew- claws, splitting the hide from the foot to the knee, skinning out the leg bone, and taking off the leg by cutting through the knee joint. In some establishments the dewclaws are not cut off until the hide reaches the hide cellar. Droppers and pritchers-up are promoted to this work.
Leg breakers.— Skin out the hind legs from the foot to above the gamb (the hamstring or tendon located at the back of the leg immediately above the hock joint), cut through the hock joint, break the joint, and take off the hind leg at that joint. In some establishments the leg is not broken or taken off by the leg skinners, but is left on until the carcass is hoisted for gutting and other operations, and is then broken or taken off by some other employee. In some establishments leg breakers also rip open, that is, rip open the hide from the bung to the neck.
Rippers-open.— Rip open the hide from the bung to the neck and in some establishments assist floormen or siders.
Gullet raisers.— Cut through the neck to the gullet and feeding tube (weasand) leading from the mouth to the hollow of the carcass, cut them loose from the neck, and tie the loose end of the weasand to prevent purging. This is a minor knife job.
Floormen or siders.— Skin out the breast and belly and remove the skin or hide from the inside of the hind legs and from the sides. This is one of the most skilled operations in this department. It requires speed, care, accuracy, and long experience and is the job or occupation that the dropper, pritcher-up, foot skinner, and leg breaker look forward to.
Breast or brisket breakers and sawyers .— Saw through the center of the breastbone from outside to inside the carcass.
Crotch breakers.— Cut through the crotch or aitchbone, which is part of the hip bone or pelvis, from the outside to the hollow. The cut is made with a knife except when old cows are slaughtered. Then it is necessary to saw through, as the bones are very hard and can not be cut or broken easily.
Bolsters.— Look after the hoisting machinery which is used in lifting animals from the floor, attach spreaders to the carcasses to be hoisted from the killing beds, and after the work on the floor has been completed set the machinery in operation by pulling a rope attached to it.
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Tail rippers and pullers.— Rip open the skin or hide on the tail from the butt to the tip end and pull or skin the hide from the tail.
Bung droppers.— Cut around the bung, separating it from the carcass. In some establishments the bung dropper also cuts off and saves the bladder, while in others the bladder is cut off and saved by an employee who does nothing else.
Rumpers.— Skin the hide from around the rump and top of the hips. This is a very important occupation and requires skill and experience, as the skin on that part of the carcass adheres very closely to the meat, making it extremely difficult to remove the hide without cutting or scoring it or cutting through the outside membrane which covers the outer surface of the meat. A cut or score in the hide would decrease its value, while a cut through the membrane would mar the appearance of the meat.
Fell cutters.— Cut or skin the hide from the back and outside of the hips or the top of the legs. This operation requires very careful work, owing to the fact that the fell, that is, the white, silvery tissue or membrane which lies immediately between the hide and the meat, adheres so closely to the meat and hide that a slight cut through it would either score or cut the hide or score the meat. In either case it would make a bad job.
Fell pullers and beaters.— Employees do this work, in pairs. One takes the leg skin as left by the leg breaker, pulls and jerks it while the other beats the meat side of the skin, thereby removing the hide from above the gamb to the top of the leg.
Backers.— Skin the hide from the back from the rump to the top of the shoulders near the neck. Experience and skill are necessary.
Shank skinners.— Skin out the shanks of the fore legs from the knee joints to the shoulders. In most establishments this operation is done by the hide droppers.
Hide droppers.— Clear out the shanks in establishments where other employees do not do this operation, clear the hide from the front of the shoulders and the neck, dropping it from the carcass to the killing floor where the hide inspector examines or inspects it for cuts and scores.
Gutters.— Take the paunch, intestines, liver, heart, and lungs from the carcass and cut through the kidney fat along the backbone from the hips to the bottom of the kidney fat, thereby separating the fat into two equal parts and at the same time preparing the carcass for the splitters. The Government inspector here inspects the heart, liver, lungs, paunches, intestines, and the glands for signs of disease. If any such signs are found, the carcass and all offal, including the head and the caul fat, are sent to the retaining room for final inspection by a Government veterinary inspector.
Caul pullers.— Cut through the meat between the hind legs to crotch or aitch bone, split open the belly from the crotch to the breastbone or brisket, and pull the caul fat from around the paunch and intestines. The caul is placed in a separate bucket or other vessel so that it may be identified with the carcass of the animal from which it came.
Tail sawyers.— Saw through the tail bone and part of the backbone or vertebrse down between the hip bones to a point nearly opposite the hip or socket joint. This work is done in some plants with an electric-power saw and in others by hand with a small meat saw.
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Splitters.— Split through the center of the backbone or vertebrae from the hips to the chuck or to a point in the backbone near the third or fourth rib. A long, heavy, sharp cleaver is used for this operation. The occupation is one of the most important in this department.
Chuck splitters.— Split through the chuck and neck from the point where the splitters completed their work, through the last joint of the vertebrae in the neck next to the head, thereby completing the splitting of the backbone into two equal parts and completely separating the carcass into halves. This work is done in many of the plants with an electric-power saw and in others with a heavy, sharp cleaver.
Scribers.— Saw through the top part of the backbone between the spinal cord canal and the top of the back or the outer surface of the carcass, beat, break, or bend the bones of the back while the carcass is still warm. This is done from loin to a point opposite the third or fourth rib for the purpose of giving that part of the carcass a smooth, well-rounded, and thicker appearance. It is done only when a very good grade of cattle is being slaughtered, and not when carmers or cows are slaughtered. Scribers do other work when old cows are slaughtered.
Trimmers.— Trim bruises, skirts, rounds, and tails. Trim bruises from carcass, cutting out the blood clots and bruised meat to improve the appearance of the carcass. Trim skirts or diaphragms by cutting the surplus membrane from them. Care should be taken in this operation not to cut entirely through the membrane to the lean meat, as by so doing the membrane draws up when the carcass cools and shows the meat, thus marring the appearance of the inside of the carcass. Trim rounds by cutting out bruises and cutting off uneven or irregular particles that may be hanging to them. Trim tails by cutting out bruises and cutting off fat. These operations are all knife jobs.
Utility men (handy men, straw bosses, and all-round men).— Efficient, experienced, all-round, handy employees who are shifted from one kind of skilled work to another as needed or who fill in for employees who are temporarily off duty.
Washers and wipers.— Wash and clean dressed carcasses with a hose and water under pressure, sometimes with a brush attached to the end of hose which rubs or wipes the carcass, thereby removing blood from them.
Butchers, general.— Do all the operations necessary in slaughtering cattle. These employees are as a rule found in small establishments or in establishments that are primarily engaged in the slaughter of hogs but also slaughter a few bulls for bologna sausage.
Tonguers.— Cut tongues from the heads, leaving them hanging by a small particle of meat so that the Government inspector may easily cut into and examine the glands of the head for disease.
Laborers.— Do the unskilled work in and about the killing department. They assist the penners, the knockers, and the hoisters, squilgee or clean the blood from the floor, attach hooks or rollers in gambs, pull toes or hoof, tie bladders, pull spinal cords from the spinal canal, skewer loins and necks, wrap cloths around the side or half of beef to absorb moisture, wash cloths to be used for wiping
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carcasses and for absorbing the blood in necks and kidney ducts or canals, clean rollers, carry rollers, oil rollers, and shove carcasses on rail running from the killing floor to the conveyor which carries carcasses to the coolers or chill rooms.
Truckers.— Truck material and supplies into and about the department, and truck offal, mostly paunches and intestines, to chutes leading from the killing department to the offal department.
HOG-KILLING DEPARTMENT
Inasmuch as hog killing and hog cutting are both done by one gang or crew of employees in practically all establishments that furnished data for this report, and as many of the employees have at least two regular occupations, it was necessary to classify the employees in either the killing or cutting occupation of such employees. Preference, therefore, has been given to the occupations in which the employee worked the greater part of the time. The hours worked and earnings for each pay period are for both the killing and the cutting occupations, and for any other work done during the pay-roll period. Some employees worked at both killing and cutting occupations and also did other work. The average hourly earnings are for all kinds of work done during the pay-roll period, and were obtained by dividing the total earnings by the total hours worked.
Seventy-seven of the 86 establishments that furnished 1927 data for this report slaughter hogs. In six of the 77 the hogs are slaughtered by the cattle-killing gang and the data for hog killing are included in the data shown under the cattle-killing department. One establishment kas its hogs slaughtered by another plant and therefore has no data shown for it under this department, and eight plants do not slaughter any hogs.
The occupations shown under this department are described as follows:
Laborers, drivers, penners, steamers, singers, washers, and aitchbone breaJcers.— Do the various kinds of unskilled work on the killing floor; drive hogs from the establishment pens to the killing floor; pen hogs on the killing floor, that is, place them in pen next to the revolving hoisting machine, and make record of lot and lot numbers; assist shacklers by catching and holding the hogs; steam hogs, while being shaved and scraped, using a steam hose; singe hogs while being dressed; wash hogs and break crotch or aitchbones, using an instrument similar in shape to a tinner’s shears.
Shacklers.— Receive hogs from drivers or penners, place them in the small pen connected with the revolving hoisting machine, attach or hook one end of shackle (a short chain with a hook on each end) around one leg of the hog and attach the other end to the revolving hoisting wheel. The wheel is operated by machinery and hoists the hogs from the floor, dropping them automatically to a rail running from the wheel to the sticker. In some plants an incline conveyor chain is used for hoisting the hogs instead of a wheel, but the principle is the same.
Stickers.— Stick the hogs in the neck, penetrating the neck to the hollow of the hog, cutting the arteries running from the heart to the neck and head. A sticker, in many plants, is assisted by another employee who catches and holds the hog for the sticker as it comes
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to him over the rail leading from the wheel. The assistant is really a learner, apprentice, or laborer. In some establishments the assistant fills in for the sticker, being paid approximately the sticker’s rate. In this case he is included with the stickers.
Scolders, tubmen, droppers, gamb cutters, polemen, and duckers.— These employees handle the hog from the time it leaves the sticker until it is hooked to the scraping or dehairing machine. Droppers receive the hogs as they come from the sticker and detach the shackles, dropping the hogs into the scalding tubs or vats, and return the shackles by gravity rails to the shackling pen. Scalders keep the water in the scalding vats at the required temperature, test the scalding, using a pole with a hook on it for the purpose of determining whether the scalding has been sufficient to remove the hair. When a scalder finds that the hog is scalded so that the hair may be removed easily he shoves the hog to the gamb cutter. Polemen and duckers assist the scalder and tubmen by ducking or keeping the hogs under water while they are being scalded. Gamb cutters slit the skin on the back part of the hind legs immediately above the hock joint and cut between the leg bone and the gamb or hamstring so that a hook or the gambrel stick may be easily inserted in the gamb, and also insert hooks used in attaching hog to dehairing machine.
Hooker s-on, hookers-ojf, hanger s-ojf, straighteners, and feeders, chain— These employees handle the hog from the time it leaves the gamb cutter until it is hooked to the moving conveyor, which is operated by machinery, excepting during head and feet scraping, which is usually done en route. In some establishments a gambrel stick is inserted in each gamb, after which the hog is hooked to the scraping or dehairing machine. In other establishments a short chain with a hook on each end is used, one hook being attached to the gamb and the other to the machine. The hog is then carried through the dehairing or scraping machine. After passing through, it is automatically dropped to a shaving bench or moving table which carries it to the chain or moving conveyor. While on the moving table, the head shavers, scrapers, and cleaners do their work. In some establishments the hog is not dropped from the rail after passing through the dehairing machine but all scraping, shaving, and other work is done while the hog is on the chain or conveyor moving to the cooler. Feeders attach hook or feed the hogs from the table to the moving conveyor. In some establishments, in which hogs are dressed by the Canadian or English method, immediately after passing through the dehairing machine they are dropped to a table near the singeing machine, which consists of an endless chaiu passing up a steel pipe or chimney of burning gas. The chimney is of sufficient size to allow the passage of as large a hog as may be killed. The hog is marked by cutting a slit between the jawbones. A chain with a hook on each end is used to attach the hog to the singeing machine. One hook is inserted in the slit between the jawbones and the other is hooked to the endless chain. The hog passes through the pipe and is thoroughly singed, coming out a very dark brown. After passing out at the top of the pipe the hog is lowered to a table. It is carried through the chimney to the top of the machine head first and lowered feet first. This work is heavy.
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Shavers and scrapers.— Shave and scrape off the hair left on the hogs after the scraping machine has done its work, and scrape hogs after they have been singed. This work is done with knives.
Headers.— Cut off the head, unjointing it from the body at the first joint of the vertebrse immediately back of the head, cutting through the flesh and joint, but leaving the head hanging to the carcass by a small part of the skin and jowl. The head is so left on the body that the Government inspector may cut into the glands of the head and inspect them for signs of tuberculosis or any other disease. If any sign of disease is found, a metal stamp is attached to the carcass and no further work is done upon it until it arrives in the retaining room, where the work of dressing is completed under the supervision of veterinary inspectors of the Department of Agriculture.
Gutters, bung droppers, and rippers-open.— Rip open the skin and belly from the bung to the neck or the cut made by the sticker. Bung droppers cut around the bung, separating it from the carcass, and as a rule also cut out the bladder. The gutter removes the paunch, intestines, and the pluck. In many establishments one employee does all these operations. The paunch, intestines, and pluck are here inspected by the Government inspectors for signs of disease.
Splitters.— Separate the hog into halves by cutting through the center of the backbone from tail to and through the neck bones. In some establishments the splitting is done by cutting the ribs loose from the backbone on both sides, thereby taking the backbone out whole. This work is done with a heavy, sharp cleaver.
Ham facers.— Trim or cut the surplus fat from the inside or face of the ham. This is done in order to improve the appearance of the ham and at the same time show as much lean as possible.
Leaf-lard pullers.— Remove the leaf lard from the carcass. Leaf lard is a thick layer of fat inside the carcass extending from the vertebrse to the belly and from the crotch almost to the breastbone. It is the highest grade of fat in the hog.
Leaf-lard scrapers.— Scrape the small pieces or particles of lard left in the carcass by the leaf-lard puller.
Bruise trimmers, head removers, and Tcidney pullers.— Trim bruises on the dressed carcasses, removing blood clots, blood, and discolorations; cut the small part of the jowl and skin which was left uncut by the header, thus removing the head from the carcass. Pull kidneys from the leaf lard while it is still warm.
Utility men.— All-round, efficient, handy men who are shifted from one occupation to another as needed, spelling or filling in for employees temporarily off duty for any reason or period of time.
Truckers.— Truck materials, supplies, and offal into, about, and from the department.
Kidney pullers, shavers, singers, and spreaders.— These terms designate the few occupations in which a very small number of women are employed on the killing floor. The number of women so employed is so small that all have been transferred to one group.
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DEPARTMENTS AND OCCUPATIONS 139SHEEP-KILLING AND CALF-KILLING DEPARTMENT
Under this department are included data for employees whose work is primarily that of killing and dressing sheep, that is, those who work much more of their time at this than at any other work. Forty-nine of the 86 plants that furnished 1927 data for this report have regular gangs or crews for this work, and the data here shown are for the employees in these plants. Nine plants in which sheep are killed do not have regular gangs, the wrork usually being done by some of the cattle-killing gang detailed to do it, and the data for that work are not included here but are included under the cattle- killing department where these employees work most of the time. Sheep, lambs, and calves are not killed in 28 plants.
The number of employees in a gang or crew of sheep butchers varies from 2 to 3 men in the smallest plants to 50 to 60 in the largest. Those in the smallest plants do all the different operations of dressing sheep and are called sheep butchers. In the largest plants each employee does one operation only, and in such plants are found clear-cut, well-defined, standardized occupations such as are shown for some of the plants in districts 1 and 2. Employees in mediumsized plants do more than one operation, the number varying with the number of employees in the gang. Each employee in the medium-sized plants has been given the occupation at which he worked most during the pay-roll period taken, or the most important occupation at which he worked where the time worked at each occupation was not given.
Employees who do the sheep killing also as a rule do the calf killing, for which they are paid the same rate per hour, even though they do an entirely different kind of work. A very small per cent of the calves are skinned on the killing floor. The dressing of calves when the hides are left on the carcasses consists of shackling, sticking (cutting the throat), skinning out the feet (legs from hoofs to the knees) and the head, washing, combing, and cleaning the coat (hair), ripping the hide from bung to the neck, ripping open the belly, breaking the crotch or aitch bone, splitting the brisket, dropping the bung, gutting, taking out the pluck, and washing inside the carcass. When this has been done, the carcasses with hides on go to the chill room. Plants frequently receive orders for calves dressed with hides on. Those not sold with hides on are skinned in the chill room the morning after the killing by some of the sheep and calf butchers. The pay for skinning cold calves is sometimes by an hourly rate and sometimes by a piece rate.
A brief description of occupations found in this department is here given in the regular order of their performance. The order, however, varies in some plants, due to different machinery, room arrangement, etc. Not every occupation found in this department is shown separately in the tabulation, as the conditions in a few plants made it necessary to combine some of the occupations.
Laborers.— Included under this term are drivers, penners, holders, shovers, hookers-on to conveyers, hangers-up of racks, and squilgeers. Drivers drive sheep from the establishment pens to the killing floor and deliver them to the penners. Penners receive the sheep from the drivers, count and sort them by lots, making record of lot and lot number, and place them in an inclosure adjoining the small pen
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connected with the revolving hoisting wheel. Holders catch and hold sheep for shacklers. Shovers shove sheep along on an overhead rail to the chain or moving conveyor or from conveyor to a rail leading to the cooler. Hookers-on hook or transfer sheep from rail to conveyor. Hangers-up of racks hang racks on rail leading from conveyor to the cooler. Squilgeers dean up the killing floor.
Shacklers.— Receive sheep from penners; prod and push them into a small pen connected with the revolving hoisting wheel; attach one end of the shackle (a short chain with a hook on each end) to leg of sheep and hook the other end to the hoisting wheel. The wheel, which is operated by machinery, lifts the sheep from the floor and drops them automatically to a rail running from the wheel to the bleeding rail.
Stickers.— Pull the sheep from the wheel along the rail; stick knife into the side of the neck near the back of the jaw, draw the knife across the throat, cutting the jugular veins.
Joint breakers.— Break the joints between the fore feet and the legs by hand.
Scalpers.— Skin the pelt from the scalp and face. This is a knife operation. In some establishments it is not done until the pelt is dropped from the carcass, being done then by the pelt droppers.
Miscellaneous workers.— Include hookers-up, fore quarters and hind legs; jaw skinners, raisers and tiers of weasands, cutters-off of toes, cod punchers, shoulder punchers, leg rollers, leg crossers, and shank pinners. Hookers-up hook up fore quarters by attaching the fore feet to a spreader attached to a rail running parallel with the rail to which the hind legs are attached; hook or transfer hind legs from overhead rail to the ring or moving conveyor, remove shackles and return them by gravity rail to the hoisting wheel or shackling pen, and in some establishments pull pelt from the outside of the hind leg from the broken joint to about the hock joint. Jaw skinners skin the pelt from around the jaws and neck. Raisers and tiers of weasands cut through the neck from the head to the chest, cutting the gullet and weasand loose from the meat, and tie the end of the weasand to prevent purging. Cutters-off of toes cut off toes of the front feet at the broken joint, thereby releasing the fore legs from the spreader, leaving the animal hanging by the hind leg. Cod and shoulder punchers punch the pelt loose from around the cod and the shoulders. Leg rollers wrap the caul fat around the hind legs, attaching it to them with short wooden skewers. Leg crossers take one hind leg from one hook on the conveyor and attach it to another hook to which the other hind leg is fastened. Shank pinners bend the fore leg (foot or knee) back to shank, and pin leg and shank together with small wooden skewers. These occupations or operations are not generally found in establishments, as the work is usually done by employees working at more important occupations; hence the necessity of showing them here in one group as miscellaneous workers.
Leggers (fore and hind).— Skin the pelt from the fore legs from the foot to the shoulders and from the inside and back part of the hind legs from the foot to the crotch and cut off the hind foot at the joint between the leg and the foot. In some establishments the fore leggers skin the pelt from the neck, jaw, shoulders, and breast.
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Brisket or breast pullers.— Rip open the pelt through the breast and part of the belly and pull it from the point of the brisket on both sides to the shoulders.
Facers.— Rip open the pelt from the crotch to near the breast and skin it from the belly and part of the sides by holding the pelt with one hand and punching it loose from the carcass with the fist of the other. In some plants employees who do this work are called pelters. This is one of the most important occupations in this department.
Bumpers and hack pullers.— Skin the pelt from the rump, clearing it from the carcass at the top of the hips near the tail. Pull the pelt from the carcass from the top of the hips to the neck. In some establishments back pullers also drop the bung by cutting the end loose from the carcass. In others the bung is dropped by the gutters.
Brisket or breast splitters.— Split the breastbone through from outside to inside or hollow, by driving a sharp knife through the bone with a small mallet.
Pelt droppers.— Skin the pelt from the neck to the head, clearing it from the carcass. In some plants the pelt droppers also skin the pelt from the head.
Scrubbers, washers, and wipers.— Scrub or wash the carcass, using a fountain brush supplied with water by a hose, and wipe or dry the carcass with cloths made of several layers of cheesecloth. Carcasses are washed and wiped thoroughly after the pelt has been dropped and again after the gutting has been completed.
Caul pullers.— Cut open the belly and pull the caul fat from the paunch and intestines and place it in a small pan attached to the moving conveyor near the carcass. There is a separate pan for each caul. When sheep are caul dressed the caul is draped over the kidneys and wrapped around the hind legs by the dressers.
Gutters (bung droppers and rippers-open).— Cut through the crotch and crotch bone to the hollow of the animal, drop the bung and remove the intestines, paunch, and pluck. In some cases sheep are dressed with the pluck left in the carcass and are so sold to the trade. The pluck is the liver, heart, and lungs. The viscera inspection is here made by the United States inspectors.
Headers and neck trimmers.— Cut the head from the carcass and trim the neck.
Dressers.— Include rib sawyers or Boston cutters, setters or Boston setters, caul dressers, and dressers. There are many methods of dressing sheep, due to the demands of the trade in different sections of the country and in different cities in the same section, also to the age and size of the animals. Some of those most used are here defined. Caul dressers take the caul from the small pan on the conveyor next to the carcass and drape or hang it around the hind legs and over the kidneys. In some plants they also roll or wrap it around the legs and fasten it to them with skewers. Rib sawyers or Boston cutters saw across the ribs inside the carcass about midway between the backbone and the breastbone and belly, using a small scribe saw, then bend the brisket and rib outward. Boston setters or setters set a stay stick inside the carcass to hold the ribs back to the position in which they were placed by the sawyers or cutters.
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Luggers.— Lift the carcass from the moving conveyor or ring and carry it to the rack on the rail which run? from the killing floor to the chill room.
Utility men, spelters, handy men, all-round men.— All-round, efficient, handy men who are shifted from one skilled occupation to another as needed, filling in for employees temporarily off duty.
Sheep or calf butchers.— Dress sheep and calves entirely, doing all the operations. These employees are usually found in small establishments where only a small number of animals are dressed from day to day. In most establishments they also do other work.
OFFAL (OTHER THAN HIDES AND CASINGS) DEPARTMENT
The dressed carcass is the direct product of the slaughtered animal. Offal is the indirect product and therefore consists of hides, casings or intestines, fats obtained from animals while being slaughtered, paunches, livers, hearts, feet or legs, tongues, tails, sweetbreads, spleens or milts, weasands, heads (horns, brains, cheek, and other head meat, beef lips or mouths, and head bones), and blood.
Before the development of the modern meat-packing establishment very little of the offal except hides and tallow or fats was saved. The modern meat-packing establishment has eliminated this waste. Now everything is saved. All that is edible or fit for human food is cleaned and prepared for food, and the remainder is made into inedible grease, tallow, fertilizer, combs or ornamental articles, knife handles, buttons, neat’s-foot oil, glue, etc.
Under this department are included all employees who save, clean, trim, and prepare all beef, hog, sheep, and calf offal other than hides and casings, including pigtails and pigs’ feet and snouts. Offal requires immediate and careful attention while animals are being slaughtered, as it spoils quickly.
The working conditions in this department are fairly good, as a rule. The work is usually done in rooms with tile or cement floors. Employees stand on floor racks which enables them to keep their feet dry.
Eighty-one of the 86 establishments that furnished 1927 data for this report have employees in this department. In two plants the work of this department is done by the cattle-killing gang and in one by the hog-killing gang. Two plants have no offal, one having no killing department, and the other one selling all offal to a company that does the work of this department.
It is almost impossible to give a detailed definition of the various operations or occupations of this department? especially for trimmers. In large establishments employees are given only one operation to do. In small and medium-sized establishments one employee does more than one operation; that is, trims more than one kind of offal. In some cases the whole force does all the trimming, being shifted from one kind to another.
The occupations found in this department are described as follows:Chiselers, checkers, and templers.— Chiselers insert a chisel between
the bones of the head, pull the jawbones out of socket, and tear head meat loose from the bones. Templers cut or loosen meat from around the temples and cheeks. Cheekers cut or trim the cheek meat from heads.
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Machine operators.— Including skull splitters or choppers, jawbone pullers, knockers-out of teeth or grinders-out of teeth, head or turbinated bone grinders, sawyers of horns, shanks, or shin bones; snout pullers, marrow blowers. These employees operate machines that split heads, pull jawbones, knock or grind teeth out of jawbones, remove lard or grease from, head bones, saw off horns, saw shank or shin bones, pull snout skins, or blow marrow from bones. They not only operate the machines, but also handle the heads or bones, placing them in or on the machines in the necessary or required positions. In some establishments beef heads are not split by machinery, the work being done by hand with a heavy, sharp ax. After the head is split the brain is taken from the skull and placed in pans, buckets, or other vessels.
Trimmers.— These employees are knife workers. They trim the various kinds of offal, cutting off meat, skins, and membranes, and separating the fat from the lean meat. In many establishments they are called general trimmers, while in other establishments each employee has a special or specific operation to perform. They trim head meats, trim pecks, cut out palates, cut out and trim sweetbreads, trim cheek meat, trim livers, trim fats, hearts, lungs, etc.
Pluck trimmers.— Cut off, cut out, or separate plucks, pull and split weasands. The pluck consists of the heart, lungs, gullet, and wea- sands. It is separated or trimmed by cutting off the heart and weasand and trimming the fat from the heart and from around the gullet or windpipe.
Inspectors.— Include graders, slunk skinners, utility men, spell men. Inspectors inspect the offal trimmings to see if they are clean and also for the purpose of grading them as to quality. Spell men fill in for employees who are temporarily absent from duty. They are efficient employees who are competent to do the various kinds of skilled work in this department. Slunk skinners remove the skin or hides from calves.
Laborers.— Laborers do the various kinds of unskilled work in this department. They clean up floors, cut sinews from legs, save hair, pick up fat, catch blood, wash barrels, and do general roustabout and general unskilled work. In many establishments the laborers are shifted from one kind of unskilled work to another.
Rippers-open of paunches and pecks.— Cut open paunches and pecks and dump the contents.
Washers.— Wash and pick over offal trimmings and fats. The washing is sometimes done by hand and sometimes by machinery. When done by machinery, the washer operates the machines.
Truckers.— Load and unload trucks and truck material and supplies into, about, and out of the department.
Tripe washers.— Wash and clean beef paunches after they have been dumped. This work is sometimes done by hand and sometimes by machinery. It is very important and requires care, as the paunch must be thoroughly cleaned and washed before it is cooked, finished, and made into tripe.
Tripe scolders and cookers.— Scald and cook beef paunches after they have been thoroughly cleaned.
Tripe scrapers and finishers.— Scrape the inside or mucous lining of the paunch after it has been cooked and finish the cleaning by scraping all the fat and membrane from the outside, thereby leaving
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only the muscular tissue of the paunch and do the necessary trimming. The tripe is now ready for packing in cans, casks, or tierces filled with vinegar pickle.
Pigs’ feet shavers, cleaners, scrapers, and singers.— These employees shave, clean, scrape, and singe the hair and scurf from pigs’ feet and prepare them for market or for vinegar pickle.
Feet splitters, and trimmers.— These employees split the feet into two equal parts, and do necessary trimming.
Finishers.— Do the final trimming of pigs’ feet and pack them in tierces and fill the tierces with vinegar pickle
HIDE DEPARTMENT
This department includes all employees who handle cattle hides, calfskins, and sheep pelts. The operations begin with the inspection of the hides on the killing floor for cuts and scores, and ends with the take-up employees or gang who pull the cured hides from the pack, shake out the salt by shaking the hide over a wooden horse, flesh side down as a rule, roll, tie, and prepare them for shipment. Seventy-one of the 86 establishments that furnished 1927 data for this report had regular hide gangs, and data shown in this department are for employees in these establishments. Eleven establishments had no hide employees, as no cattle, calves, or sheep were slaughtered in any of them. No data were reported for two establishments, as the hides from cattle slaughtered in them were sold green, and in two establishments this work was done by the killing and the offal gangs.
Hides are graded, inspected, and trimmed by the most skilled employees in the department. This work, however, is frequently done by sub, or assistant, foremen in many of the medium-sized establishments, and by the foremen in the very small establishments. Foremen and assistants in the medium-sized and small establishments who did this work are included in the data for trimmers, graders, and inspectors. All other employees in this department are unskilled. It requires only a few datys’ experience for new employees to become efficient spreaders and salters, or laborers. The take-up employees in many establishments are more or less temporary as there is no work for them except when the establishments have orders to be filled.
The occupations shown in the tabulation for this department are described as follows:
Inspectors, trimmers, and graders.— Inspect green hides for cuts and scores; trim hides by splitting the ears so that they will lie even on the pack when salted; cut off the tail or switch; cut off loose or hanging particles of hide at the edges and trim off surplus pieces of meat that were carelessly left on the hide when it was taken from the carcass; grade hides before they are salted down on packs and after they are taken from packs.
Spreaders and salters.— Spread green hides on packs, hair side down, and salt them down, that is, cover them with salt.
Laborers.— Pull hides from the bottom of the chute leading from killing floor to cellar; truck green hides from the chute to the hide packs; pull them from packs after they are cured, shake out salt, sweep, roll, tie, pack, and ship hides; cutout ear hair; and do general roustabout work.
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CASING DEPARTMENT
Casings are the coverings for sausage and other meat products and are prepared from the intestines of cattle, hogs, and sheep, from beef, hog, and calf bladders, from beef weasands, or gullet, and from hog stomachs. The intestines are divided into three kinds of casings— bungs, rounds, and middles. The bung is the largest in diameter and from 4 to 5 feet in length, according to size of the animal from which it comes. The round is the small intestine and the middle is the large intestine.
Employees in this department are entirely dependent for work upon the number of animals that are slaughtered in the establishment as a whole, as when no animals are slaughtered there are no casings to clean. Whenever animals are slaughtered the casings or intestines generally come to this department by a chute leading from the killing floor.
Seventy-six of the 86 plants that furnished 1927 data for this report have casing workers. Ten of the 86 plants have no casing workers. Eight of them sell the casings as taken from the animals, one has its slaughtering done by another plant, and one has no casings as it is primarily a canning plant.
Inasmuch as casings are cleaned in rooms with cement floors, and as there is, in some establishments, much water standing or running on the floors, the working conditions of the employees in this department are generally not good. Employees working under these conditions are provided with floor racks.
The occupations are as follows:Casing pullers or runners.— Pull and cut bungs out of casing sets
which consist of bungs, rounds, middles, and the ruffle or fat of the intestines; run or pull rounds and middles out of sets, usually using a knife to separate them from the set and ruffle fat.
Strippers.— Remove the contents from bungs, rounds, and middles. In some establishments one end of the casing is attached to a pipe or tube; water is then turned into and forced through them, thus forcing the contents from them. In other establishments stripping is done with machines or by hand.
Falters and slimers.— Operate and feed machines that remove fat from the outside surface and slime or mucous lining from the inside surface of casings. In some establishments the sliming is done by hand both before and after the casings are turned. In some the fatting is done by one machine and the sliming by another.
Turners.— Turn casings inside out. This is done with water. One end of the casing is turned by hand enough to get the force of the water. The running water then forces its way entirely through casing, turning it inside out.
Blowers, graders, and inspectors.— Casings are inspected and graded by forcing water through them or by filling them with air by compressed-air machines. This is done for the purpose of finding leaks or defects, and also for separating them into grades— “ narrows,” “ wides,” and “ middles.”
Measurers and bunchers.— Measure rounds and middles by length and make bunches of approximately 100 feet in each bunch of rounds and 60 feet in each bunch of middles.
Salters and packers.— Place the cleaned bunches of casings in boxes, covering them with a sufficient quantity of salt. After standing in the
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salt until the next day they are taken out of the salt boxes, packed in tierces, and moved to and stored in the casing chill room, ready for marketing.
Trimmers oj casings.— Cut off fat ends from bungs before they are cleaned, and knots or warts after they have been cleaned and turned inside out; trim fat from around necks of bladders; trim and skin weasands; skin bungs, taking off the outside skin or membrane.
Blowers and tiers of bladders and weasands.— Attach neck of bladder to compressed-air machine, fill bladder with air and tie the neck with cord; attach open end of wreasand, one end already being tied, to compressed-air machine, fill the weasand with air, and tie the untied end.
General workers.— Including those who clean and wash casings, weasands, and bladders; who save, wash, and clean chitterlings; allround men; those who wash and clean calf rennets, and over-cleaners. They do various kinds of work in this department, being shifted from one kind to another as needed.
Laborers.— These are unskilled employees who do general roustabout work.
Truckers.— Load and unload trucks with casing products, bringing the products into the department, transferring them from place to place in the department, and trucldng the finished casings from the casing cleaning room to the chill room.
CUTTING— FRESH-BEEF DEPARTMENT
The data shown under this department are for employees in the industry who take dressed carcasses of cattle, calves, sheep, and Iambs as they come from the killing department; look after and care for them in the coolers and chill rooms; see that the chilling is properly done; cut and separate them into the various cuts of meat according to orders to be filled or to the demands of the trade; trim cuts and trimmings of cuts; pack, ice, prepare, or load fresh beef, calf, and sheep products for shipment from the establishment.
Cutting is the most important division of this department, as most of the skilled occupations are found in the cutting room. Practically all other employees in this department are common, unskilled laborers, many of them being shifted from one occupation to another as needed.
Methods of cutting vary according to the kinds or grades of carcasses to be cut, or to the demands of the trade. Carcasses come to the cutting room in halves if cut in the establishments in which they are slaughtered, or in quarters if slaughtered in subsidiary plants. The very large establishments in Chicago have in other cities or localities branch establishments wThich ship dressed beef, already separated into quarters, to the central Chicago establishment for final cutting. In the main establishment a side of beef, if of good grade and of a quality to meet the demands of the trade, is separated into quarters by cutting across the half carcass between the twelfth and thirteenth ribs from the belly and through the backbone, leaving 12 ribs in the fore quarter and one in the hind quarter.
The fore quarter is separated into the following cuts: Fore shank, clod, plate, rib, and chuck. The fore shank is the first cut and is made by cutting through the shoulder joint separating the upper
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fore leg from the shoulder blade and along the upper leg bone to the knee joint, cutting the meat (clod) from that part of the leg bone. The employees who make this cut are called shank dropp rs. The clod, which is the heavy muscle of the top of the fore leg n xt to the shoulder, is next cut or pulled from the quarter. The employee who does this operation is called the clod puller. The plate, which consists of the brisket and navel, is next cut by sawing across the 12 ribs, beginning with the twelfth rib, 10 or 12 inches from the backbone, and cutting through to the first rib, the cut passing near the shoulder joint where the shank was dropped from the fore quarter. The remainder of the fore quarter is next separated into the rib of beef and the chuck by cutting between the fourth and fifth ribs to and through the backbone. The rib of beef consists of eight ribs; two ribs of the butt end have the thin part of the shoulder blade included. The chuck consists of the neck and top of the shoulder with four ribs and most all of the shoulder blade.
The hind quarter is separated into two cuts, loin and round, by cutting through the muscle and meat in front of the hind leg from the stifle joint along the leg bone to the hip or socket joint and across the rump to the backbone to a point a few inches from the tail bone. The round consists of the round and rump, but does not include the knuckle, the heavy muscle in front of the hind leg. The loin includes the knuckle when the hind quarter is cut by this method.
Kosher-dressed carcasses are as a rule of very good grade and are cut as described above except that the kosher meat is the first cut made from the half carcass. The kosher meat (shank, clod, shoulder, neck, brisket, and in some localities the navel) consists of the front of the fore quarter. It is separated from the half carcass by cutting across between the fourth and fifth ribs to and through both the backbone and the brisket. In some localities the kosher meat includes all the plate.
Carcasses are separated into the cuts described above because many retailers have greater demands for certain cuts, such as ribs and loins or rounds and chucks, than they have for any other cuts, thereby making it necessary for them to buy special cuts, in addition to whole carcasses, halves, and quarters.
Carcasses of “ canners” — that is, old cows— and other animals of poor grade are cut as described above except that hind quarters are separated into rounds, loins, and rumps. The round in this case includes the knuckle but does not include the rump. In the good grade the loin includes the knuckle and the round includes the rump. The hind quarter is separated, first, by cutting along the top part of the round or leg next to the crotch bone or pelvis to the hip joint and from the hip joint across the thick, meaty part of the flesh in front of the leg bone, leaving all the knuckle on the round; second, by cutting the rump from the loin by sawing across the hip and cutting through the meat from the hip joint to the backbone a few inches from the tail bone. This method of cutting the hind quarter makes a smaller loin, making the butt end short, and a larger round. The round in this case consists of three parts— the inside or the top round, the outside or the bottom round, and the knuckle. These three pieces of the round are used in making beef hams or dried beef. All cuts made from canners— old cows— and
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other carcasses of poor grade are boned; that is, employees called boners take bones from the cuts.
In the large establishments, after the shank has been dropped and the clod pulled, carcasses are separated into cuts by power machines equipped with band saws. In the smaller establishments all the cutting is done by a small force of employees. They are called cutters and do all the cutting and boning required entirely by hand, using knives, meat saws, and cleavers.
Seventy-two of the 86 establishments that furnished 1927 data for this report have employees who work regularly in this department. Fourteen plants do not have any employees in this department.
The occupations shown in this department are described below.Ribbers.— Separate halves of carcasses into quarters by cutting
between the twelfth and thirteenth ribs from near the bottom of the belly to the backbone or vertebrse. The cut should be made midway between the ribs.
Laborers.— Shove carcasses on overhead rails from coolers k) the cutting room or from cars on tracks in yards of establishments to the cutting room; hang meat hooks on rails; pick up hooks; saw through the backbone at the point between the twelfth and thirteenth ribs where the ribber cut; cut the small part of the belly left uncut by the ribber, thereby completely severing the fore quarter from the hind quarter, cut gambs, dropping hind quarters from overhead rails to shoulders of luggers; chop flanks from the hind quarters by chopping through the rib that was left on the hind quarter; pull kidney or kidney fat out of hind quarters, and do other miscellaneous, unskilled, roustabout work in and about the department.
Luggers and lifters.— Carry quarters of meat from rails to cutting tables or blocks, or to cutting machines.
Sawyers, power.— Operate power machines used in separating quarters into cuts. The operator shoves the fore quarter through the machine after the shank has been dropped and the clod pulled, and cuts the plate from the rib and chuck, then shoves the remainder through, separating it into the rib and chuck, the cut being made between the fourth and fifth ribs, or separates the hind quarter into cuts by shoving it through the saw, separating the round from the loin by one of the two methods described above.
Ham facers, strippers, and markers.— The ham facer and marker cuts the skin or fell from the outside surface of the round of beef and marks the knuckle for the ham strippers by cutting from the stifle joint to the butt end of the round. This mark or cut indicates the division between the inside (top) and the outside (bottom) of the round. Strippers hang the round of beef to a post, shank end of the round up, and cut or strip the knuckle, outside and inside, from the round, leaving the leg bone or shank with the shank meat on it.
Boners.— Take bones from various cuts of meat. In large establishments the cutting-room force is so arranged that each employee performs a specific or special operation; that is, takes bones from plates, ribs, chucks, rumps, loins, or butts of loins, drops shanks or pulls clods or tenderloins, or breaks butts. In small establishments employees called boners remove the bones from ail cuts, and therefore are general boners. Plate boners take ribs and breastbones from plates. Chuck boners take the neck bones, ribs, part of the back
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DEPARTMENTS AND OCCUPATIONS 149bone or vertebrae, and shoulder blade from chucks Rib boners take ribs and vertebrae or backbone and the small part of the shoulder blade from the rib of beef. The outside membrane or the outer surface is sometimes also removed from the rib of beef Shank boners cut the shank meat from the shanks. Rump boners take out the part of the hip bone that is left in the rump when the cut is made. Sometimes the rump boners also take out the tail bone or part of the vertebrae that is left in the rump. Tenderloin pullers cut or trim out the tenderloin which is inside the loin of beef and extends from the hip or crotch to near the thirteenth rib. It lies just inside the backbone. The butt breakers separate the loin into two parts by cutting through the loin from top to bottom, beaking the joint in the vertebrae at a point sometimes called the fox joint. This leaves all the hip bone that is usually left in a loin of beef in the butt end of the loin and leaves the small end of the loin of beef (the part of the loin from which the cut commonly known as the porterhouse steak is cut) with only part of the backbone in it. Butt boners take the hip bone and backbone out of the butt end of the loin.
Strip boners strip the meat from the backbone. In some establishments they take all the bones out of the whole loin of beef, while in others one employee or group of employees take the hip bone and backbone out of the butt end of the loin and another takes the backbone out of the small end. The employee who takes the bone out of the small end is called a stripper.
Trimmers.— Trim cuts of meat alter the bones have been removed; trim from bones small particles of meat that were left on them by the boners, or trim trimmings of meats.
Utility men, handy men, spellers, assistant foremen, and straw bosses.— General, all-round, handy men who are efficient and fill in wherever needed, and who do the work of other employees who are temporarily off duty.
Cutters and general butchers.— These employees are, as a rule, found m small establishments and do all the cutting and boning of cuts required, and are efficient, skilled, and experienced employees.
Graders.— Grade cuts of meat by quality and weight.Packers, meat runners, order men, and stowers.— Pack fresh beef,
calf, and sheep products, select and make up orders, and stow and pack meats in cars for shipment.
Truckers.— Load and unload trucks and truck supplies into and about and out of the department.
Freezer and temperature men.— These employees work in the freezers, taking fresh cuts of meat in there to be frozen and bringing them out after they have been frozen.
Calj skinners.— Skin calves in the coolers. Calves are frequently dressed with the skins on in the killing department and sent in that condition to the coolers. This work is done in some establishments by some of the skilled sheep and calf butchers.
Trimmers of trimmings.— These workers are females. They separate the lean meat from the fat in the trimmings left over from the various cuts of meat.
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CUTTING—FRESH-PORK DEPARTMENT
The data shown under this department are for those employees (except those who work at both a killing and a cutting occupation who are shown under the “ Hog-killing department ” ) who take dressed carcasses as they come from the hog-killing department, look after and care for the carcasses in the chill rooms, see that the chilling is properly done, separate them into the various cuts (hams, shoulders, pork loins, bellies, fatbacks, shoulder butts, and “ picnics” or “ calas,” etc.), trim cuts, trim trimmings of cuts, separating the fat from the lean, or pack, ice, prepare, and load fresh-pork products for shipment from establishments. Methods of cutting hams, shoulders, bellies, etc., are very numerous, varying according to the demands of the trade, both domestic and foreign.
Hams, shoulders, bellies, fatbacks, and ‘ ‘ picnics” or “ calas” are sent to the cured-meat department to be cured; the fat trimmed from trimmings is sent to lard rooms to be used in making lard, and the lean trimmed from trimmings is sent to the sausage department to be used in making sausage.
Data for 1927 are shown in this department for 75 establishments including six in which hogs are slaughtered by the cattle-killing gang and one that has its hogs slaughtered by another plant. Eleven plants do not have any employees in this department.
The occupations shown in this department are described below.Laborers.— This term includes shovers, spacers, temperature men,
counters, cutters-down, block tenders, sawyers-off of feet, wrappers, machine tenders, and skin bundlers. Shovers shove hogs on rails into and out of chill rooms. Spacers space carcasses in coolers by keeping them in straight lines on rails a certain and regular distance apart. Temperature men look after the temperature of the chill rooms, keeping it as nearly to the required temperature as possible. Counters count and make record of carcasses as they are shoved into and out of the chill rooms. Cutters-down cut the gamb or hamstrings, dropping half of the carcass from the rail running from the chill room to the cutting room to a bench or moving table in the cutting room. Block tenders shove part of the carcass from the table to the block used by the shoulder chopper, and after the shoulder has been separated from the middling take shoulder and middling from the block, shoving the shoulder to the shoulder sawyer and the middling to the scribe sawyer. Sawyers-off of feet operate small band saws used in sawing feet from shoulders and hams. Wrappers wrap paper around cuts of meat. Machine tenders operate fatting machines which remove fat from hog skins or rinds. Skin bundlers bunch or bundle small pieces of hog skins or rinds and tie the bunches.
Ham and shoulder sawyers.— Ham sawyers saw through the hip bone at the point where the ham was marked to be cut from the half carcass. The sawing is done by a small meat hand saw. Shoulder sawyers operate power machines equipped with a band saw. They shove the whole shoulder to the saw, holding it so that the saw cuts through and separates the shoulder into parts— the top and bottom, or butts, and “ picnics” or “ calas.”
Ham cutters-off.—Cut the ham from the half carcass by using a knife and cutting down through the half carcass at the point where the ham sawyer sawed through the backbone or vertebrae.
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Ham trimmers.— Trim hams as required according to the method of cutting, cutting off the fat around the edges, face, and butt of the ham, which gives it a smooth, well-rounded appearance.
Ham ioners.— Cut out the part of the pelvis or hip bone that is left in hams when they are cut from the carcass, cutting to the hip or socket joint, cut around the socket joint, use a small curved instrument to push the meat from around the leg bone from the hip joint to the stifle joint, cut through the stifle joint and remove the upper part of the leg bone, cut around the bone from the stifle joint to the point where the foot was cut from the ham and take out the lower part of the leg bone, skin the ham, leaving as little fat as possible on the skin, carefully trim the fat off of the skinned ham, wrap the skin around the ham and tie the skin and ham securely with a cord. The fat having been removed, the ham is now almost entirely lean and ready for cooking.
Choppers-ojf, shoulders, and ribs.— The work of chopping off shoulders is done with a power-driven circular knife, with a mechanical chopper, or with a long, sharp hand cleaver. The cut is made entirely through one-half of the carcass immediately back of the shoulder, about the fourth rib, cutting through the ribs, vertebrae or backbone, and part of the shoulder blade, severing the shoulder from the middling. This is a very important occupation which requires strength, skill, and accuracy, and commands a good wage. Rib choppers chop or cut the neck bones or ribs, and lift or take them out of the shoulder.
Shoulder trimmers.— Trim shoulders, cutting off all irregular pieces of meat in order to give the shoulder a smooth, even, well-rounded appearance. This is very important, especially when “ picnics” or “ calas” are being trimmed to give them the appearance of small hams.
Shoulder boners.— Remove the bones from the shoulder.Butt pullers.— Take the top or butt end of the shoulder as it is
after the whole shoulder has been separated by the shoulder sawj^er into the butt and “ picnic,” and pull the lean inside part of the meat out of the butt. This is done with a curved knife. The cut left after the butt has been pulled is called the shoulder plate.
Scribe sawyers.— Saw across the ribs inside the middling, from the point where the shoulder was chopped off to the cut made where the ham was cut off, cutting entirely through the ribs. This cut is made about 8 inches from the backbone.
Loin pullers.— Pull or cut the pork loin out of the middling, using a long two-handled knife similar to a drawing knife. The pork loin extends from the point where the ham was cut off to the point where the shoulder was chopped off and from the point where the scribe sawyer sawed across the ribs to the top of the back, and includes the ribs, part of the backbone, and all the lean meat in the upper part of the middling.
Bibbers.— Cut the ribs from the bellies or the lower part of the middling. Bacon is made from bellies.
Trimmers, and ham and shoulder skinners.— Trim all cuts of meat other than hams and shoulders, such as bellies, loins, butts, etc., and remove the skins from hams and shoulders. These occupations are knife jobs of more or less importance.
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Trimmers of trimmings.— Trim the ham, shoulder, belly, and all other fresh-pork trimmings; that is, separate the lean from the fat and remove the hog skins or rinds from the trimmings.
Utility men, handy jnen, all-round men, assistant foremen, and straw bosses.— All-round, efficient, skilled, and experienced employees who are able to fill in where needed or to take the place of skilled employees who are temporarily absent from duty.
Small-order men.— Make up small orders, selecting the cuts by grades and arrange them for shipment.
Packers, nailers, and car stowers.— Pack fresh-pork cuts and products in containers, boxes, barrels, etc., fastening containers with nails, and load and stow them in cars, for shipment.
Truckers.— Truck supplies into and about the department, and meats from it for shipment. In most establishments truckers also load and unload trucks.
LARD AND OLEO-OIL DEPARTMENT
Under this department is a combination of employees of the lard department and the oleo-oil department. The combination was made because the occupations are of almost the same character. Another reason for the combination is that the number of employees in each force is not of sufficient importance to show separately. One force renders or reduces hog fat to lard and the other melts or reduces beef fat to oleo oil.
The supplies or fats come to this department from the hog-killing department, the fresh-pork cutting and trimming rooms, the beef- killing department, the fresh-beef cutting and trimming rooms, and from the offal and the casing departments.
The hog fat is usually thoroughly chilled before it is sent to the lard or rendering rooms. It is hashed, fed to the melting or rendering kettles, melted, settled, clarified, bleached when off color, and made into lard. The lard is drawn off into pails, cans, tierces, barrels or tanks.
Beef fat usually comes to the oleo-oil house or room from the killing floors, casing rooms, offal rooms, and the cutting and trimming rooms, and while it has been washed and cleaned it is not so thoroughly chilled as it should be before it is hashed. It is thrown or forked into vats of cold water, again washed, sorted, or graded, and partly chilled. It passes from the cooling vats to the chilling vats (vats of ice water, or vats of water chilled by pipes or coils filled with brine), and through them to the hasher. The hasher is a machine which chops the fat into small particles, and empties it into a conveyor which carries it from the hasher to the melting kettle. The temperature at which fat is melted depends entirely upon the grade of fat. Number 1, or the very best grade, is melted at a temperature from 152° to 155° F.; number 2, at 155°; number 3, at 160°; yellow, at 160°; mutton fat, at 165°. The melted beef fat is settled and siphoned into a clarifying kettle and is there settled and skimmed. It is now oleo stock from which oleo oil and beef stearin are made. It is drawn from the settling kettle into seeding trucks and trucked to the seeding rooms and kept there at a temperature of approximately 90° until it is granulated and in condition to be pressed and made into oleo oil and stearin. It is stirred or agitated while in the seeding or cooling room in order that the cooling may be uniform. It is trucked
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DEPARTMENTS AND OCCUPATIONS 1 53
from the seeding room to the press room and pressed by a force of employees who are called wheelmen because they work at a revolving table. The force or gang of wheelmen or press men consists of one man who spreads the cloths on the revolving table; one who handles the stock in the seeder truck, shoving it to the one who takes it from the truck and fills the cloths on the table; one who folds the cloths after the stock has been placed on them; one who places the filled and folded cloths on the press; one who drops steel press plates on each layer of cloths— all working on or about the revolving table or wheel or at the press. When the press is filled the power is turned on and the oleo oil is pressed from the stock. The oil runs into tanks from which it is drawn into barrels or tierces and stored. The oil is used in making butterine; that is, a substitute for butter. The pressing of the oil from the stock leaves a product in the cloths which is called stearin. Stearin is frequently used in making compound lard by combining it with cottonseed oil.
Lard is of three kinds— neutral, prime steam, and compound. Neutral lard is made from leaf lard and fatback and is reduced in open kettles at about 130° F. Prime steam lard is made from fat trimmings and intestinal fats and is rendered in a closed kettle or tank at 240° F. As it is frequently off color it is bleached with fuller's earth or clay, which is removed from it by pumping through filter presses. Compound lard is a substitute lard made from refined cottonseed oil and oleo or beef stearin, with little or no lard in the mixture. It is always bleached and pumped through filter presses.
There are very few skilled occupations in this department. Almost all employees are unskilled and they are shown in this tabulation as laborers. Many of them are shifted from one kind of work to another, and in some establishments they are called general workers or roustabouts.
Eighty-one of the 86 establishments covered in 1927 have employees who work in lard and oleo-oil departments, and five plants do not have any employees in these departments.
The occupations found in this department are described as follows:Laborers.— Load and unload trucks, push or shove trucks, wash
seeding trucks, varnish tierces, pass empties to fillers, roll tierces, pile tierces, put covers on cans, pack shavings between cans, roll barrels, take away and pile tierces and barrels, take away pails, scrape seeding trucks, clean up floors. These employees are unskilled and in many establishments are shifted from one kind of work to another as needed.
Melters.— Also called kettlemen, cookers, settlers, clarifiers, skimmers, tank men, and oleo makers. These employees look after the fat while in the kettles, see that the melting or cooking is properly done, and that the melted fat is clarified, settled, and skimmed.
Roller men.— Look after or operate the cooler roller machinery. The roller is filled with brine and as it turns comes in contact with and cools lard which runs into a curved basin or shallow tank at the bottom of the roller machinery.
Fillers.— Draw the lard from kettles or tanks into pails, buckets, tierces, and barrels. This is done by opening and closing valves or spigots.
Pumpers and refiners.— Operate machinery that pumps lard from tanks into vats or through the filter presses. They pump lard from
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1 54 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
tanks to the bleaching-room tanks, mix the necessary amount of fuller’s clay or earth with it to bleach it, and pump it through filter presses. The presses have steel plates with heavy layers of canvas between the plats. As the lard is forced through the canvas by the pump the canvas catches and removes the earth from the lard.
Utility men.— Also called handy men, straw bosses, and assistant foremen. General all-round handy men who fill in wherever needed. These employees are efficient and skilled and do the highest grade of work in this department, being shifted from one kind of work to another as needed.
Labelers.— Paste labels on pails, cans, buckets, etc.Pressmen or ivheelmen.— Press oil from lard or from oleo stock.
Spread cloths on a revolving table, fill cloths with lard or oleo stock, fold the four sides or edges of the cloths over the lard or stock, place the filled and folded cloths in or on the press, drop steel press plates on each layer of three or four cloths, repeating the operations until the press is built or filled, and then turn on the power to operate the press. The oil runs through the cloths and from the press into tanks, leaving the stearin in the cloths. After the oil has been pressed from the lard or stock, the press is pulled down and the stearin is shaken out of the cloths. These employees are called wheelmen because they work at a revolving table.
Gan washers, tub liners, fillers, and labelers.— These occupations include all the female workers employed in the lard and oleo department. These workers wash the cans, line and fill tubs, and paste on labels.
SAUSAGE DEPARTMENT
Supplies used in this department are fresh-beef trimmings which come from the fresh-beef cutting or chill rooms, hearts, head meat, and giblet or weasand meat from the beef cellars or freezers, fresh lean pork trimmings from the fresh-pork cutting or chill rooms, and casings from the casing department chill rooms.
The meat used in making sausage is not, in its original condition, so palatable as steaks, roasts, and chops, but it is wholesome. By chopping, curing, grinding, mixing, and spicing it becomes very palatable, and is also an economical article of food.
Large and important establishments usually have two gangs or crews of sausage makers. One makes domestic sausage which is cooked and smoked and requires only a few days to make; and the other makes dry-cured or summer sausage, which is not cooked and requires several months to make. Each has many different varieties and grades. Data shown for this department are for both gangs combined, as the operations are almost the same.
Practically all employees in the sausage department are unskilled. It requires a very short period of service for new employees to become efficient workers in this department. Seventy-nine of the 86 plants that furnished 1927 data have employees in occupations in this department. Sausage is not made in seven plants.
The occupations in this department are described as follows:Truckers and forkers.— Truck meat and casings into and about
the sausage department and sausage from the department for shipment, and fork meat from trucks to chopping and grinding machines or to curing shelves
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DEPARTMENTS AND OCCUPATIONS 155
Cutters.— Also called choppers, grinders, mixers, curers, feeders, and machine tenders. Operate the various kinds of machines used in chopping and grinding sausage meat, feed the machines, and mix the curing ingredients and spices with the meat as it is being chopped and ground.
Casing workers.— Including washers, turners, re-turners, meas- urers, cutters, tiers, and fatters. Casings, although washed and cleaned thoroughly in the casing department, are again washed, turned, and inspected before they are used in the sausage department, re-turned, measured, and cut to the length required, and one end tied with cord. Fatters cut or trim fat from hog bungs.
Stuffers.— Operate compressed-air stuffing machines. The stuffer fills the machine with meat, attaches the open end of the casing to a tube on the machine, turns on power by turning a small crank, turns off power when the casing is full, and drops the filled casing on a table at which linkers, tiers, and hangers work.
Linkers, twisters, tiers, and hangers.— Take the filled casing or sausage from the table, tie the open end of the casing with a cord and twist or turn it, thereby making links; hang sausage on truck or trees. It must not be construed that emplo37ees who are called “ linkers” do no other work, as a machine crew— consisting of a stuffer, linkers or tiers, and hangers— does not make link sausage continuously. The crew stuffs many different kinds of sausage.
Ropers.— Including wrappers and tiers. Wrap sausage with cords; that is, loop cord around the stuffed sausage. This is a dry-cured or summer sausage occupation. The wrapping is done after the sausage has been cured. The cord is wrapped or tied around the curved surface of the sausage, each wrap of the cord being a short distance apart.
Laborers.— Including roustabouts, ham-cylinder washers, clean ers- up, ham pressers, hangers, cooks’ helpers, smokers’ helpers, and truckers of cages or bikes. They are the employees who, as a rule, do the various kinds of unskilled labor in and about the sausage department.
Cookers.— Put sausage and hams into cooking vats or ovens; keep the water and steam in the vats and ovens at the required temperature, and cook the sausage and hams the required time.
Smokers.— Keep up the fires in the smokehouse, making the required amount of smoke, and see that the sausage and meats are properly smoked.
Packers, male.— Including scalers and packers, shippers, and nailers. Weigh and pack sausage in containers for shipment.
Packers, female.— Including wrappers, inspectors, labelers, taggers, tiers, box makers, and packers’ helpers. Wrap sausage in paper, tie packages, attach labels and tags to packages, set up paper boxes or cartons to be used in packing sausage, and assist packers by passing sausage to them, and inspect wrapping, labeling, tagging, and tying of packages prepared for shipment.
General workers, female.— Do general work in the sausage department, such as washing pans, peeling onions, etc.
Utility men.— Called also assistant foremen, straw bosses, subforemen, handy men, small-order men, and all-around men. These employees are of a higher grade of skill than the usual run of sausage
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workers and are shifted as needed to the various kinds of the higher grade work in the sausage department.
CURED-MEAT DEPARTMENT
The supplies or meats come to this department from the fresh-pork and fresh-beef departments, and consist principally of hog hams, shoulders, bellies, fatbacks, “ picnics” or “ calas” (i. e., shoulders with the butt ends cut off— see “ Fresh-pork department” ), plates (the fat outside top of the shoulder or the piece of the butt end remaining after the lean inside of the butt has been pulled), jowls, pork loins, and beef hams (inside or top of the round, outside or bottom of the round and the knuckle).
The cuts of meat enumerated above are cured either by the dry-salt or sweet-pickle method of curing meat. The cure by each method begins with pumping or injecting pickle or cure into meat around bones and into joints. This is done with a small pressure pump, small hose, and hollow needle. The needle is inserted into the meat where the pickle or cure is most needed. The pickle is forced through the hose and needle into the meat by operating the pump. The pickle hastens the cure and lessens danger of the loss of meat by souring while in the process of cure. The cure is continued by putting meat down in salt; that is, a layer of salt is put down on the floor or meat racks, followed by a layer of meat with salt over each piece and layer, the process being continued until the pile of meat is as high as desired. This is the dry-salt method. In the sweet-pickle method the cure is continued by packing meat into vats or tierces. When the vats or tierces are filled, sweet pickle is poured over the meat until it is completely submerged. During the process of cure, or while the meat is down in salt or m sweet pickle, it is overhauled; that is, pulled, from one vat, tierce, or barrel and placed in another, at regular intervals to help the cure and to prevent spoiling or souring. After the meat has been down in salt or pickle for the required time, it is taken out of the salt or pickle and transferred to the smokehouse, where the cure is completed by smoking.
Shoulder clods, boned beef plates, and rumps are corned or cured by packing in salt pickle or brine. Uncooked pigtails, pig snouts, lamb tongues, ox lips, or beef mouths are also cured by this method. Cooked pigs’ feet and snouts, tripe, and tongues are packed in vinegar pickle.
The working conditions in this department are not so good as in other departments because the cure takes place in the lower rooms or cellers of establishments. The rooms are as a rule very damp, cold, not well lighted or ventilated.
There are very few skilled employees in this department. An unusually large per cent of the employees are unskilled and are therefore shown in this tabulation as laborers. Most of the occupations other than laborers require very little skill. These occupations can be filled by new employees after a very short period of experience.
Eighty of the 86 establishments that furnished 1927 data for this report have cured-meat departments. Five establishments do not have any employees in this department.
The occupations found in this department are here described.Graders.— Also called sorters, sizers, average men, spotters, inspec
tors, and chute men. Receive the cuts of meat as they come into
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this department and grade or sort them according to size and quality; inspect meat while in process of cure to see that the cure is being made and to detect bruises, spots, or bone sour, etc.
Laborers.— Including graders’ helpers, pickle makers' helpers, inspectors’ helpers, sorters’ helpers, pumpers’ helpers, smokers’ helpers, ham passers, meat passers, passers to pumpers, passers to salters, passers to packers, takers from pumpers, haulers to vats, meat carriers, meat tossers, meat wipers, meat hangers, meat scrapers, meat stringers, bacon stringers, ham stringers, sewers, tiers, meat soakers, meat washers, roustabouts, vat washers, truck washers, and general workers. These employees do the various kinds of unskilled work in and about this department. In many establishments this class of labor is shifted from one place or kind of work to another as needed.
Packers.— Including packers of beef, barrel pork, bellies, briskets, pig rinds, and smoked meat, vat men, sweet-pickle packers, wrappers, burlap sackers, car stowers, car loaders, and dippers. These employees pack meat in vats or tierces or put it down in dry salt and also pack and wrap meat for shipment. The two occupations or operations of packing meat for cure and packing it for shipment were combined because it was impossible to separate them, as many establishments carried them on their pay rolls as “ packers” without classification.
Overhaulers.— Also called meat pullers and turners. These employees overhaul the meat while being cured by pulling it out of vats, shifting it from one vat to another, by rolling tierces, or by taking meat up out of salt.
Picklers.— Including pickle men, pickle makers, pumpers, and curers. These employees make, according to formula, the pickle used in curing meats, pump pickle into meat, or fill vats and tierces with sweet pickle. In some establishments one man or employee does the pickle making and pumping, and also fills the vats and tierces with the pickle.
Rubbers, salters, and pilers.— Pile meats in layers and sprinkle salt on each piece and layer of meat.
Smokers.— Look after the smokehouse and the meats in the smokehouse and see that the smoking is properly done.
Butchers, trimmers, and knife men.— Do all the knife work required in this department— the trimming and cutting of meats.
Truckers.— Truck meat and salt into the department and truck the meats about and out of the departments.
Utility men.— Called also assistant butchers, straw bosses, assistant foremen, small-order men. These employees do general work of the highest grade in this department, filling in whenever and wherever needed. They are shifted from one kind of work to another.
Female employees.— All female employees in this department are shown in one group because the number employed in any one kind of work is too small to show separately. They rub borax on meat, clean meat, make sacks for meat, make canvas covers for meat, operate sewing machines, put meat into sacks or bags, wrap and tie hams, wrap and tie bacon, and paste labels on boxes and packages prepared for shipment.
109538°—29----- 11
DEPARTMENTS AND OCCUPATIONS 157
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CANNING DEPARTMENT
Meat canning to any considerable extent is done by relatively few slaughtering and meat-packing establishments. In the Chicago district (division 1) only 3 of the 11 plants included in the 1927 study have canning departments, but each of the 3 has a very large production. In districts 2 to 8 only nine plants have departments engaged in the work of canning various meat products. In addition to these the employees of 32 plants who slice and pack bacon and dried beef in cans, glasses, and cartons are included in this department.
The meat products of these canning departments are almost without number, and no attempt is made here to catalogue them or to enumerate the operations performed in preparing them. The occupations which have been tabulated are, rather, general ones and do not purport specifically to describe meat canning in all its ramifications. However, practically all the work done in canning the standard products, such as corned beef, sliced dried beef and bacon, tongues, and sausage, readily finds a place in one or the other of these general occupations.
Comparatively so little time is given to operating the machines used in preparing some of the special products or to some particular stage of such work that the few employees so engaged have been classed as “ general workers,” unless the work on which they were engaged was so similar to that of some one of the general occupations tabulated that they could be combined with employees in such occupation without distorting it.
The heads of these departments and the chief foremen are skilled and experienced men to whom large salaries are paid, but the greater part of the ordinary canning work can be done satisfactorily by men or girls after a short period of training. New and inexperienced employees usually are paid the minimum time rate while learning. On piecework jobs an employee who can not earn a reasonable amount after a few weeks’ experience is given less exacting work with lower earnings or dropped altogether as the case may warrant. Practically all canning work, especially in the larger plants and those divisions in which women are employed, is done under the best conditions possible. A good part of the work of women is done while seated.
Brief descriptions of the work done by meat-canning employees in the 20 occupations tabulated follow:
Cookers.— Prepare meat for canning, regulate the quantity and temperature of water in the cooking vats, the temperature of ovens, and the length of cooking. In small plants they may regulate steam also or do other work which in large plants would be done by separate gangs.
Steam tenders.— Regulate temperature of the retorts in which meats after canning are subjected to further cooking, watch steam gauges, regulate length of the “ process,” and tend agitators which keep meat stirred while cooking. In large plants the term includes also employees who regulate steam in the cook room. The work is done under the constant supervision of the retort department foreman, as the success of the product depends on proper “ processing.”
Washers of empty cans.— Feed machine which washes inside of cans preparatory to their being filled, or wash cans and glass jars by hand.
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DEPARTMENTS AND OCCUPATIONS 159Passers and pilers, cans.— Put cans in place for either hand or ma
chine fillers, remove and set for capping, feed and take from vacuum vent-soldering machine, arrange right side up on conveyors for washing and painting machines, stack up to dry after painting, put in place for either hand or machine labeling and wrapping, pile in storeroom or shipping room, and at various stages of the canning operation batch cans for inspectors.
Trimmers, meat (by hand).— Trim fat, sinews, skin, gristle, bruises, or blood clots from corned beef; cut out palate, pieces of gullet, glands, loose skin, or peel outer skin from tongues; trim fat, pieces of bone, gristle, or any rough, hard surfaces that might interfere with the operation of the slicing machines, from dried beef (“ insides,” “ outsides,” and “ knuckles” ), etc. The trimming of corned beef and tongues requires some skill in the use of the knife and rapidity of motion mainly, but the trimming of dried beef requires, in addition, strength and calloused hands. All trimmers need keen sight and well-developed powers of observation, as they must closely inspect the meats as they work.
Machine tenders (preparing and stuffing meat into cans).— The machines include rotary trimming machines, which remove thick skin and gristle from corned beef and dried beef; bacon and dried-beef slicing machines, machines cutting linked sausage to proper lengths for stuffing, and sorting the lengths; Hamburg steak, hash, and veal- loaf mixing machines, and machines stuffing corned beef, Hamburg steak, hash, or veal loaf into cans. Tending or assisting in the operation of these machines requires experience and care rather than special skill. Some of the large concerns have installed stuffing machines which have a capacity of 22,000 cans of corned beef per eight hours, the operators feeding empty cans to the machines with one hand and pushing away filled cans with the other, an occupation requiring unwavering attention and great dexterity. Many of the other machines, however, work automatically, careful observation being necessary only when starting or stopping the machine.
Stuffers (meat into cans, by hand).— Canning beef, pork, or lamb tongues, and sausage, is done by hand and usually by females. Sausage is the principal meat product put into cans by the stuffers. A sufficient quantity of tongue for the size of the can to be filled is weighed#and placed before the stuffer, who, using a funnel and pestle, stuffs it into a can. In sausage stuffing, linked sausage which has been cut into exact lengths is heaped before the stuffer, who holds a can with one hand while with the other with unerring accuracy and great speed she grabs the proper number of lengths and stuffs them upright into the can.
Packers (sliced bacon and chipped dried beej, in cans, glass jars, or cartons, by hand).— 1The exact amount of bacon or beef for each jar or carton is weighed in a bowl and placed before the packer. In packing jars the sides are lined with the larger pieces, the ends of which are folded over the top after the smaller pieces have been filled in. In packing cartons the pieces are laid in flat and smooth with paper between the layers. Some packers of the highest grade of bacon use tweezers and do not touch the product with their fingers.
In packing round cans with chipped beef much less precision is required. In some plants the proper amount for each can is placed
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before the packer, while in others the packer must scale the filled can for the exact weight. Disks of parchment paper are placed at botton and top of each can.
This work in big establishments, in particular, is done under most agreeable conditions, the packers being seated and the light and ventilation good.
Weighers (filled cans).— Girls scale the filled can and either add to the contents or remove a sufficient amount to make the weights exact.
Wipers {-filled cans).— Wipe cans, especially cap grooves, top, and inside of rim, after filling, so that cap will fit closely. Usually done by hand but the work sometimes is done by a mechanical brushing device.
Cap setters.— Lay caps in place on top of filled cans ready for the capper to solder, or for the crimping machine to turn flange and crimp to the can.
Cappers.— Complete the closing of cans after filling, using various devices, such as:
1. Glass-jar capping machine: The operator puts jars with caps laid on in box of machine, closes cover, presses foot lever, thereby creating a vacuum and turning down and crimping flange tight under rim of jar; opens machine, and removes jars.
2. Crimping machine: After can with cap set on has been placed in the machine the operator presses with one foot a lever and the machine turns down the flange of the cap crimping it fast under the rim of the can.
3. Floater conveyor: The operator tends conveyor which carries small filled cans from the crimping machine through a bath of thin liquid solder, keeping the cans right side up.
4. Spindle capping machine: After cans with caps set on have been placed under the spindles, which are in groups of five or six, the operator clamps the spindles down on the caps and starts the machine. Each can revolves under its spindle and as the machine revolves is brought in turn before the operator, who with a stick of solder in one hand and a hot soldering iron in the other completes the capping by soldering the cap on.
5. Vacuum machine: After cans with caps soldered on are fed onto conveyor which carries them into the circular box of tjhe machine until it is full, the operator fastens down cover, pulls a lever creating a vacuum, turns with his left hand a wheel slowly moving the cans and as each can passes under a glass section of the cover, with his right hand touches with a hot iron a drop of solder which has been placed on the cap, melting it over the vent hole. The machine is then opened and the cans carried out by the conveyor on the side opposite that by which they entered.
6. Sanitary machine: Cans of cut linked sausage are fed onto conveyor which carries them to the steam exhaust box of the machine, and after passing to and fro for a few minutes they are expelled and carried on conveyor to capping machine. The caps are fed automatically and are crimped to the cans, which then pass through another steam bath. The machine men control the steam and the can feeder and expeller, keep the cap cylinder filled, and control the crimping device.
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The work connected with operating any of these devices is comparatively simple. Many of the machines are operated by girls.
Washing and painting machine tenders.— Wash and paint filled cans before labeling and wrapping. Helpers, passers, and pilers feed cans onto a conveyor which carries them through the steam and lye bath of the washing machine and then so place them on another conveyor that when carried between the parallel brushes of the painting machine both ends are coated. About 12,000 cans pass through the steam bath each working hour. The machine tenders wratch and control all the operations, and keep the machine in order and supplied with proper quantities of steam, caustic soda, and paint. The work requires mechanical ability and good judgment.
Painters (can, by hand).— Paint such cans as require more painting than the machine would give them or which are too large for it. The cans are held in one gloved hand while they are painted by the other. The work is somewhat disagreeable and exhausting, owing to the odor and speed, but is usually done by girls.
Labelers and wrappers.— Paste labels on filled cans or cartons, and wrap these containers in printed paper covers preparatory to shipping. Largely rapid handwork and done by girls, a few men being employed in operating some of the labeling and wrapping machines.
Packers.— Pack cans, jars, or cartons in boxes for shipping, including nailing and strapping the boxes.
General workers.— In every canning department there are large numbers of utility workers; that is, men and girls who are changed from one occupation to another as the product changes or as conditions necessitate. This may happen any number of times in one day. Many of these employees are skilled workers who can do any kind of canning work, but a large number of the females are relatively new and unskilled employees, while most of the men are slightly above the grade of common laborers.
Inspectors.— The work of the canning department is carefully inspected at every stage, beginning with the cooking and trimming of meats and ending with the packed boxes ready for shipment, covering the washing and wiping of empty cans, the stuffing or packing of meats in cans, jars, or cartons, the weighing of the filled cans, the crimping and soldering of caps, the soldering of vents, and filled- can washing, painting, labeling, wrapping, and packing. Much of the inspecting is done by girls, but the final inspection 01 the capping and vent soldering usually is made by experienced men who are responsible for the success of the finished product.
Truckers.— Employed all through the department trucking meats, empty cans, filled cans, boxes, etc.
Laborers.— In some establishments employees so designated include some men who possibly might have been more definitely classed, but an effort has been made to separate all general workers so that by far the greater part of these employees are common laborers.
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR DEPARTMENT
This department includes all employees covered in the 1927 study of the slaughtering and meat-packing industry who are engaged in general maintenance and repair work on buildings, cars, tracks, trucks, and on installation and repair of necessary machinery and other equipment of the plants. The occupations are blacksmiths,
DEPARTMENTS AND OCCUPATIONS 161
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162 SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY
boiler makers, bricklayers, carpenters, coopers, electrical workers, machinists, machine hands, millwrights, painters, plumbers and pipe fitters, a group designated as “ repairers,” tinners, a group designated as “ other skilled occupations,” and helpers of employees in the skilled occupations named above. In plants large in number of wage earners each person is generally limited to one occupation only, but in other plants wTith a small number of wage earners it is necessary that each person w ork at more than one occupation.
The occupations are briefly described as follows:Blacksmiths (including hammersmiths, bulldozers, and bolt head
ers).'— Shape light or medium-sized forgings and do general anvil work, using forge, anvil, and hammer in repairing machinery, tools, trucks, and other equipment.
Boiler makers (including riveters, layers-out, flangers, and buck- ers).— Overhaul, patch, or repair tanks, boilers, tubing, etc.
Bricklayers and masons.— Construct brick or stone foundations, walls, partitions, and chimneys, lay tile or cement floors, and do general masonry repair work.
Carpenters (including pattern makers, cabinetmakers, body carpenters, tank carpenters, door makers, rip sawyers, and millmen).— Do general carpentry work, make packing and shipping boxes, panels, stairways, lay wooden floors, and general wood repair work.
Coopers (including repairers of tight barrels, loose barrels, slack barrels, vats, and tubs, and driving-machine operators).— Do general cooper repair work such as repairing wooden barrels, casks, tubs, vats, and tierces.
Electrical workers (including electricians, trouble men, armature winders, wiremen, linemen, electric shopmen, motor tenders, motor inspectors, testers and operators, and electric elevator repairmen).— Install, operate, and keep in repair the wiring and all other electrical equipment.
Laborers (including all general unskilled labor designated on pay rolls as sewer men, barrel, box, car, rack, tank, and truck washers, cartmen, roustabouts, janitors, lamp cleaners, truckers, sweepers, clean-up men, scrap sorters, material men, wheel rollers, cement mixers, barrel heaters, nailers, tool-room men, stablemen, track labor, sewer diggers, truck drivers, and cranemen helpers).— Do the general unskilled labor work.
Machinists (including engine repairmen, brass molders, and die makers).— Skilled employees who set up, repair, and operate one or more of the various types of machines and machine tools used in repairing machinery and equipment.
Machine hands (including boring-machine operators, drill-press operators, lathe hands, milling-machine hands, and puneh-press operators).— Competent as a rule to set up and operate one of the specified machines. In some plants trained in the operation of one machine only, but not able to set it up.
Millwrights.— Skilled in arrangement, installation, and maintenance of general power and transmission machinery and equipment.
Painters.— D o general painting of buildings, trucks, wagons, signs, tierces, and any other necessary equipment.
Plumbers and pipe Jitters (including steam fitters).— Install and maintain necessary plumbing and steam-fitting equipment, including all pipe work required in connection with ammonia systems.
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Repairers (including various skilled employees designated on pay rolls as beltmen, box makers, brush repairers, calkers, door canvassers, harness makers, plasterers, plugmen, hog-scraper machine repairers, car bracers, pump repairers, scale repairers, knife sharpeners, elevator repairers, tool grinders, canvas repairers, engine repairers, gauge repairers, door repairers, air-brake repairers, tank valve men, car repairmen, rope repairers, saw filers, welders, or wheelwrights).— The employees in these occupations are grouped because there is not a sufficient number of wage earners in any one of them to warrant separate tabulation.
Tinners.— Lay and repair tin roofing and do other necessary construction and repair of tin work.
Other skilled occupations (including various skilled employees designated on pay rolls as assistant foremen, working foremen, boiler washers, cranemen, gas men, battery men, bung-boring machine men, air-drill men, cement finishers, galvanizers, air-brake inspectors, elevator inspectors, motor inspectors, scale inspectors, car inspectors, barrel inspectors, barrel steamers, chain inspectors, lamp inspectors, thermometer men, glaziers, handy men, scale testers, strap pullers, roofmen, roofers, house men, mortar mixers, oilers, pipe coverers, stencil cutters, solderers, switch tenders, spraymen, window washers, stevedores, storeroom men, turbine men, utility men, and general workers).— The occupational names in general describe the work of these employees. The number of employees in each of these occupations is not of sufficient importance to warrant separate tabulation.
Blacksmiths’ helpers.— Assist blacksmiths and tool dressers.Boiler makers’ helpers.— Assist the boiler makers in cutting out
bolts, riveting by hand, and holding the club or “ dolly” for the riveters.
Carpenters’ helpers.— Assist carpenters and in general do rough carpentry work.
Electrical workers’ helpers.— Assist electricians and in general do work little above that of common labor.
Machinists’ helpers.— Assist machinists..Millwrights’ helpers.— Assist millwrights in setting up machinery.Plumbers’ and pipefitters’ helpers.— Carry tools, keep plumber sup
plied with materials, and otherwise assist in plumbing work; assist pipe fitter by holding pipe, threading pipe, and also make minor fittings under the direction of the plumber or pipe fitter.
Repairers’ helpers.— Assist general repairmen and repairers of the specified machinery or equipment.
Tinners’ helpers.— Assist tinners in laying and repair of roofing and in repair of tanks, guttering, etc., and also keep tinners supplied with materials. .
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