is it just me or do you think the stores wish they didn't have meat cutters any more. i hear managers telling people that they wish they could get rid of the meat cutters and have only pre pac, they could make more money and be better off without the extra cost of us
is it just me or do you think the stores wish they didn't have meat cutters any more. i hear managers telling people that they wish they could get rid of the meat cutters and have only pre pac, they could make more money and be better off without the extra cost of us
Of course you're right and you must have been reading my mind because I signed on specifically to make my own post about this. Only it involves the entire store, not just us. But yes, us specifically they want to eliminate. They have another policy for everyone in the store that includes those of us (meat) that they at this time have to keep. I want to say first that my company for bad and good is stuck in the 1970s and is not guilty of this. We have about 18 cutters and they're keeping us. Yes, we're seeing more and more pre packed items all the time. I remember when it was in the contract that none of that was allowed. One time the store brought in some pre sliced liver and the union stepped in and put an end to it. Leon (and who else?) probably can tell us that they were already thinking this back when boxed beef was first introduced.
Anyway, the thing I was going post about was going to be titled something like "Does it seem like the company is looking for ways to fire everyone in the store and replace us with cheaper help with fewer or no benefits".
That's the rumor and from what we've seem, it's true. It takes a lot longer now to accumulate enough hours to have full benefits. It seems as though as soon as you reach the top level, they'll find a reason to fire you and then bring in a new person and start the cycle all over again. I'm seeing this when I work on my days off at other companies and have been hearing about it for years.
The Super Ks in Ohio just brought in pre-packed grinds on monday.
There are only 2 high paid full time cutters and one meat wrapper left and as soon as the prepack pork and beef cuts come in I sure that they will be let go. Everyone else there is part time.
It will be like walmart they will have 2 part time $8.00/hr so called meat managers who cut the boxes open and put the packages on the shelf.
i'm sure they would love to get rid of us, that would be a lot of money they could give their share holders, one thing about it, pre pac doesn't smile and say how are you today, may I help you.
Hi Butch here in Ohio... Having worked for Kroger in California in the 70s and 80s I must tell you they went to a central plant to produce all grinds and pork never got the the beef section. they went down in 82 and sold the entire ca division. Also I work for a chain in ohio now and they are going the same way. fewer cutters and more parttime clerks at less pay and except the cutters to teach and guide the clerks to success.....
sorry it doesn't work.... I'm reaching retirement age so its not a worry but to all you young fellas and gals... good luck try the smaller shops on the corner where you are needed and respected.
a bit of interesting news. the meijer store in town used to have prepack pork and some grinds. as of 2 months ago they started cutting all pork and grinding more. i hope the tide is turning. even the company i work for has eliminated a good portion of factory pork from the order guides. .......any company that wants it is chasing the wal mart dream....and they suck...
My chain is a growing (we open another store this month) and we still cut meat. Even our chicken is still ice packed and needs to be trayed We still do our own cut up chickens too
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Joe Parajecki
Operations Manager/ Partner
Kettle Range Meat Company, Milwaukee WI
Member Meat Cutter Hall of Fame and The Butcher's Guild
We are a smaller store & that is something that we pride ourselves on is still cutting our meat....unlike the bigger "box" stores that have pre packed crap! I don't think they want to get rid of us....in our store alone if it wasn't for the meat dept the store would go under fast!!
I see it as a food saftey issue. Look at all the recalls that involve millions of pounds of meat. All centrally processed. One person takes a short cut or does not clean and sanitize as they should and millions of people are endangered. Now if its cut locally you won't see millions of pounds of recall material. All these big recalls only prove the bigger they are the harder they fall. Anyone remember Hudson Foods? Meat cutters at the local store, no matter the size are a very needed and valuable part of the equation.
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I'm not a vegetarian, but have eaten many animals that were.
I so dislike prepacked meat! I have become sooo fussy! In my last shop the owners had played with the idea of prepacked Chicken but each time I managed to talk them out of it. Walmart in Chilliwack BC gets prepacked meat all the way from Calgary Alberta! For those of you in the South or out East that don't know....Thats an awful long way from beast to store. I REFUSE to buy meat in Wallyworld. I refuse to buy prepack. I will spend the extra to have it cut instore.
OK what I am about to post is not confirmed but comes from a very reputable source in the Meat Industry
Wal Mart is about to hand over control of their Meat and Seafood Departments to an un-named company. 25 stores in Illinois are to be the test market at the beginning of the new year. If all goes well the contract will be expanded to 800 stores
What are they going to do???
Bring back Meat Cutters!!!
All meat is to be cut in store, wrapped and merchandised in store by this un-named company
All Meat pricing and buying will be done by this un-named company
USDA Select is to be abandoned and USDA Choice is to be used in the test markets
If anyone has an idea who the un-named company may be please let us know
Again, this is from a very reputable source. The stores that don't have meat saws have had them ordered. 2 saws per store
So much for pre-pack meat and its biggest supporter
__________________
Joe Parajecki
Operations Manager/ Partner
Kettle Range Meat Company, Milwaukee WI
Member Meat Cutter Hall of Fame and The Butcher's Guild
If true, I bet wal-mart owns the outside company and trying to get around the union. the outside company will take the heat and not wal mart if they take them back
-- Edited by KY LADY CUTTER on Wednesday 12th of October 2011 09:40:30 PM
what ever the truth is, on the surface this could be good for the workers of compnaies who are trying to bring in the factory meat.... meijer reverted and now walmaert? albiet to a limited scale........
