Beijing Paradise BBS Backup/PARADISE.ISO/software/BBSDOORW/JOB4.ZIP/OOHB0237.HBK

Text File | 1995-10-24 | 10.6 KB | 218 lines

215
Butchers and Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters

(D.O.T.  316.681-010, .684 except -014; 525.361, .381, .664, .684
except -026, -034, and -040, and .687-074.)

Nature of the Work

Butchers and meat, poultry, and fish cutters reduce animal carcasses
into small pieces of meat suitable for sale to consumers.  In
meatpacking plants, butchers slaughter cattle, hogs, goats, and
sheep and cut the carcasses into large wholesale cuts such as
rounds, loins, ribs, and chucks to facilitate handling,
distribution, and marketing.  Meat trimmings are used to prepare
sausages, luncheon meats, and other fabricated meat products.
Butchers usually work on assembly lines, with each individual
responsible for only a few of the many cuts needed to process a
carcass.  Depending on the type of cut, they may use knives,
cleavers, meat saws, bandsaws, and other equipment.

   In grocery stores, wholesale establishments that supply meat to
restaurants, and institutional food service facilities, meatcutters
separate the wholesale cuts of meat into retail cuts or individual
size servings.  They cut the meat into steaks and chops using knives
and electric saws, shape and tie roasts, and grind beef for sale as
hamburger meat.  Boneless cuts are prepared using knives, slicers,
or power cutters, while bandsaws are required on bone-in pieces.
Meatcutters in retail food stores also may weigh, wrap, and label
the cuts and arrange them in refrigerated cases for display to
customers.  They also may prepare special cuts of meat ordered by
customers.

   Poultry cutters slaughter and cut up chickens, turkeys, and other
types of poultry.  However, these tasks are increasingly being
performed by machines, and some modern poultry processing plants use
hand cutters only for tasks, such as deboning breast meat, that are
difficult for machines to perform with precision.

   Fish cleaners cut, scale, and dress fish in fish processing plants
and wholesale and retail fish markets.  They remove the head,
scales, and other inedible portions and cut the fish into steaks or
boneless fillets.  In markets, they may wait on customers and clean
fish to order.

   Retail meat, poultry, and fish cutters also prepare ready-to-heat
foods.  This often entails filleting meat or fish or cutting it into
bite-sized pieces, preparing and adding vegetables, or applying
sauces or breading.

   Fish cutters in fish markets may wait on customers and clean fish to
order.

Working Conditions

Working conditions vary by the type and size of establishment.  In
meatpacking plants and larger retail food establishments, butchers
and meatcutters work in large meatcutting rooms equipped with power
machines and conveyors.  In small retail markets, the meatcutter or
fish cleaner may work in a space behind the meat counter.  To avoid
viral and bacterial infections, work areas must be clean and
sanitary.

   Butchers and meat, poultry, and fish cutters often work in cold,
damp rooms.  Cutting rooms are refrigerated to prevent meat from
spoiling; they are damp because meat cutting generates large amounts
of blood and fat.  The low temperature, combined with the need to
stand for long periods of time, makes the work tiring.  Butchers and
meat, poultry, and fish cutters are more susceptible to injury than
most other workers; in 1992, meatpacking plants had the highest
incidence of work-related injury and illness of any industry.
Injuries often occur when insufficient care is used when working
with knives, cleavers, and power tools.  The repetitive nature of
their work often leads to cumulative trauma injuries, such as carpal
tunnel syndrome.  To reduce the incidence of cumulative trauma
disorders, many employers have reduced work loads, redesigned jobs
and tools, and increased awareness of early warning signs.
Nevertheless, workers in this occupation still face a serious threat
of a permanent, crippling injury.

Employment

Butchers and meat, poultry, and fish cutters held about 349,000 jobs
in 1992.  Over four-fifths worked in meatpacking and poultry and
fish processing plants and retail grocery stores, while others were
employed by meat and fish markets, restaurants, hotels, and
wholesale establishments.  The majority of the 222,000 skilled
butchers and meatcutters worked in retail grocery stores, while
almost 9 out of 10 of the semiskilled meat, poultry, and fish
cutters worked in meatpacking and poultry and fish processing
plants.  Skilled butchers and meatcutters are employed in almost
every city and town in the Nation, while semiskilled meat, poultry,
and fish cutter jobs are concentrated in communities with food
processing plants.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

Most butchers and meat, poultry, and fish cutters acquire their
skills informally on the job or through apprenticeship programs.  A
few learn their basic skills by attending trade and vocational
schools.  However, graduates of these schools may need additional
on-the-job training and experience to work as butchers and
meatcutters.

   Generally, on-the-job trainees begin by doing less difficult jobs,
such as removing bones.  Under the guidance of experienced workers,
they learn the proper use of tools and equipment and how to prepare
various cuts of meat.  After demonstrating skill with tools, they
learn to divide quarters into wholesale cuts and wholesale cuts into
retail and individual portions.  Trainees may learn to roll and tie
roasts, prepare sausage, and cure meat.  Those in retail food
establishments may learn marketing operations such as inventory
control, meat buying, and recordkeeping.

   Meatcutters who learn the trade through apprenticeship programs
generally complete 2 years of supervised on-the-job training
supplemented by classroom work.  At the end of the training period,
apprentices must pass a meatcutting test.  In some areas,
apprentices may become meatcutters without completing the entire
training program if they can pass the test.

   Skills important in meat, poultry, and fish cutting are manual
dexterity, good depth perception, color discrimination, and good
eye-hand coordination.  Also, strength is sometimes needed to lift
and move heavy pieces of meat.  Meatcutters and fish cleaners who
wait on customers must have a pleasant personality, a neat
appearance, and the ability to communicate clearly.  A health
certificate may be required for employment.

   Butchers and meat, poultry, and fish cutters may progress to
supervisory jobs, such as meat or seafood department managers in
supermarkets.  A few become meat or seafood buyers for wholesalers
and supermarket chains.  Some become grocery store managers or open
their own meat or fish markets.  In processing plants, butchers and
meat, poultry, and fish cutters can move up to supervisory
positions.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of butchers and meat, poultry, and fish cutters
is expected to grow more slowly than the average for all occupations
through the year 2005 as more meat cutting and processing shifts
from the retail store to the plant.  Nevertheless, many job
opportunities should arise due to the need to replace experienced
workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force.

   As the Nation's population grows, the demand for meat should
continue to increase.  Although red meat consumption has been
dropping and poultry consumption has been rising in recent years,
both of these trends are likely to slow as people consume more
low-fat meat products.  The consumption of fish is expected to
increase robustly in the coming years.

   Employment growth of semiskilled meat, poultry, and fish cutters who
work primarily in meatpacking, poultry, and fish processing plants
is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations
through the year 2005.  Although much of the production of poultry
and fabricated poultry products is performed by machines, the
growing popularity of labor-intensive ready-to-heat goods promises
to spur demand for poultry workers.  Semiskilled meat and fish
cutters also will be in demand as the task of preparing
ready-to-heat meat and fish goods slowly shifts from the retail
store to the processing plant, and as fish is increasingly caught or
farmed domestically.  Although the supply of edible ocean fish is
limited, advances in fish farming, or aquaculture, are expected to
reduce the gap between supply and demand.

   Employment of skilled butchers and meatcutters, who work primarily
in retail stores, is expected to decline gradually.  Although meat
is increasingly cut and processed at meatpacking plants, this shift
is coming slowly.  At present, most red meat arrives at the grocery
store partially cut up.  The retail meatcutter performs the final
processing cutting wholesale meat cuts into steaks, chops, and
roasts and packaging them for sale.

   Eventually, as ready-to-heat goods become more popular, both fresh
meat and prepared foods will be completely processed and packaged at
the plant.  Consumers and the retail stores are slowly adjusting to
this trend, and the demand for retail meat, poultry, and fish
cutters should decline.

Earnings

Butchers and meatcutters had median weekly earnings of $310.00 in
1992.  The middle 50 percent earned between $230.00 and $490.00 a
week.  The highest paid 10 percent earned over $630.00 a week.
Meatcutters employed by retail grocery stores are generally among
the highest paid workers.

   Butchers and meat and fish cutters generally received paid vacation
and sick leave, health insurance, and life insurance.  Poultry
workers, however, rarely receive substantial benefits.  Union
meatcutters employed by grocery stores also had pension plans.

   Many butchers and meat, poultry, and fish cutters are members of the
United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.

Related Occupations

Butchers and meat, poultry, and fish cutters must be skilled at both
hand and machine work and must have some knowledge of processes and
techniques involved in handling and preparing food.  Other
occupations in food preparation which require similar skills and
knowledge include bakers, chefs and cooks, and food preparation
workers.

Sources of Additional Information

   Information about work opportunities can be obtained from local
employers or local offices of the State employment service.  For
information on training and other aspects of the trade, contact:

   United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, 1775 K St.
NW., Washington, DC 20006.


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