Mainemeatman,

  You have made some great points in this thread, and also in the one about the new meat manager. But here is the thing:  the retail food business is just so competitive that proper wages commensurate with skill, for meat managersor cutters will never be there, in my opinion. 

I hesitate to say this, but I think I need to, to make my point. I hope it won't be taken in the wrong way. I made close to $200k last year in my current job. That is 4 times the most I ever made as a meat manager when I left that in 1995. My point is that what I do now is less challenging to me, not just physically but mentally, than what you guys do. I know that because I did what you guys do in the meat trade for 28 years. The problem is that retail food has so many businesses banging heads against each other for the same consumer dollar they just cannot afford to pay a meatcutter what he is worth, skill-wise. If what I am reading in the news is true, nowadays one can go to a trade school and learn to be a welder and machinist, and have a $30/hr entry level job waiting for you after just a one or two year course. IMO it's just a better choice, at elast until there is no longer the demand that exists today.

Mainemeatman wrote:

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jim,,,very true-good points, and wow!!! good for you!!!


The pendulum might be swinging back in our favor-because if their is one constant in this business, it's change
the change that may happen is more and more case ready meats- which is not the demise of the meatcutter, it may be the opening for more butcher shop owners.

I'm also a commercial real estate broker/business broker that does market surveys in different locations for viability studies for meat markets/specialty markets- I've seen and helped many cutters set up their own business- most are still open- I can see many of todays cutters being tomorrows meat market owners or operators- being paid much better
I might be a bit optimistic, but I always gotta have hope and belief of a better tomorrow-

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 Here's another obstacle I've encountered, and I realize this is generally how business operates, I keep getting handed more and more "projects" and "opportunities" in my managment position, i.e. more work with no increase in pay. I work for an independent that I really like. Prior to my becoming manager we did not have a formal standardized training program until I developed it. Recently, I was approached (told) that my company would like me to centralize scheduling for our 2 stores. That is, I'll be producing the schedule, implementing proper training procedure for both locations and managing my own meat and seafood dept. I have a family, bills and I love the company and the meat business but I'm wondering when the "projects" and "opportunities" are going to match my salary. How does one approach HR and administration to bring these things to light? I certainly don't want to pi** the top brass off. I've seen how that can work out.

Mainemeatman wrote:

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Jim is right- you've got to be your own best cheerleader- meek and mild works for librarians, but not for meatcutters

If they are giving you more projects, then they must have high confidence in you- which is great-til, you work longer and longer days and see less of your family.

As a business, they have to be careful - depending too much on one person-but in doing that-you are more valuable-and they should know, you'll want more compensation.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease (if it isnt thrown out)

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 I really appreciate your info Maine. You and Jim have been dead on in my initial speculations and thoughts. It's really a tribute to AP in creating this site. I learn more and more everytime I visit this site. Again, thank you for your knowledge. I really appreciate it!

P.S. Nice sweetheart ribeye!

Jamie Calvetti

Here a real time story on what we are doing to t solve a cutter shortage problem at Calvetti's. I discoved last week that I have two portion cutters retiring in March while I am simultaneously bidding on two contracts with 500,000 pieces of steaks per annum. Since we have had no luck with hiring cutters from other shops, we are moving as follows. We have been using a temp agency for supplying laborers for an irregular packing order. All of their employees are vetted, drug tested, I-765'd for legally working in the US and GMP trained. We can go to the temp agency at any time and tell them we want to hire a particular employee. Our obligation to them is they have to work for us, through them for a total of 60 days. After 60 days we have a good idea of what type of worker indiviuals are. We can also ask for recommendations for indiviuals with knife handeling skills. So I am taking two recommended people and starting them at the bottom as laborers and simultaneously teach them how to trim. Will try one or two hours a day in the beginning. We'll progress a month or two like that and see how it goes. After that we'll start them (or sometimes they will start themselves) on portion cutting lesser value items. We monitor their work for hand eye coordination, knife handling, ability to take instructions, ability to show up at work on time, hygine skills etc. There is also, of course a feed back loop. To do this I need two things 1) A experienced and knowledgeable cutter who is willing and able to teach. I can usually work that out by paying someone 7-10% more per hour. 2) a multilingual supervisor, since the average US person does not want to work in a cutting cooler enviorment at the prevailing wage. Tis goes on for 3-4 months, with a few hick ups along they way. In the end I'll have have a couple of indiviuals who cannot replace my retiring people, but substitute for them until their skill set is rounded out. This way is not particularly easy, an owner or manager needs lots of patience and has to know it's going to cost money in lower yields and lower productivity to train a person your way. But it works and you have to potential to train a couple of new employeee your way within the existing company culture.

I love your attitude.  I would hire you in an instant.  Do not give up.  Put out those applications and be proud.  Last year at this time I was working in a major financial institution.  Was hired and sent to school by a grocery store chain here in canada and now I am a manager of a meat department.  The store manager could see past the fact that I am a woman, 50 years old, weigh 115 pounds.  He saw in me the traits that you are speaking about.  For the past 4 months my department has improved month by month.  Never let them tell you it can not be done.  YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO.  Good luck to you and as I said I would hire you in an instant .  Lots of luck in your quest.

From LinkedIn

Raymundo B.  

MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT at JARO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

30+ Experience in Meat Processing Industry

 The scarcity of meat cutters can be best addressed by having sustainable training of people in-store or in-plant. Through continuous education or training, the adverse effect can be deterred as the availability will always be there particularly if there will be movements or migration of people and I do believe there are still lots of skilled meat cutters available. I found this effective as I've practiced them in my previous employ.

From LinkedIn

Robert T.  

 National Sales Manager at Harris Food Group, Inc.

Sad to say but it is true that meat cutter artisans are a dying breed.
With the increased infiltration of central processing into the marketplace, individual cutting skills are in minimum demand. Combined with lower pay schedules and fewer benefits, these “specialty” skills will literally die off with the aging of good meat cutter personnel.
Starting in the mid-eighties and in the interest of controlling costs, many retailers who previously offered in-store meat training, reduced full time staffing efforts.
In many cases, trained cutters were often left working for two different and competing chain operations at or just above entry level wages.
Where was the incentive to learn a great skill and earn a living wage?
Even with the factory breakdown of sub-primals into smaller and boneless parts, some skill and knowledge is still required to properly cut the meat. Consider walking any meat case and check out how poorly a short loin has been “butchered” and not cut with skill.
Where will an individual learn, in a hands-on manner, how to process and totally merchandise a gooseneck round with skill and with the background knowledge of which part of the carcass this item came from?
How many of us are left who not only know the where and the how of processing multiple species but can also accommodate various regional and international influences from carcass to center plate? Not many!!

From Linked In

Don Sorby

We need to get the word out in high schools there are other jobs in the world besides Rapper or IT professional. The young folks need to learn they can make a decent living but it is hard work. I think the answer is rural school systems where the young folks are used to more physical labor than than young folks in the bigger cities. This is not to say the large cities be ignored but I think most of the effort be focused in smaller cities and towns. When I say small I mean small, the towns with consolidated school districts just to keep the doors open. Cities up to 20,000 or so would be my main focus if I were looking for young people to apprentice as Meat Cutters. Butchering is a honorable and noble skill and I tip my hat to the men and women who bring us all of our food products