Approximately
500,000 people work in the U.S. Meat
Industry.
Maintaining competitive wages and
benefits is a key element in retaining these
workers, and fulfilling the ongoing resource
needs of the nation’s meat packing/processing
operations. As of 2006, the most recent
year of data available, workers in meat plants
averaged about $12.00/hour, and typically
worked a 40 hour week. This
wage compares favorably with a number of other
occupations, and is roughly double the
U.S.
minimum wage. Benefits include health
insurance, life insurance, disability
insurance, wellness programs, pension/401K
plans, educational assistance, and other
programs.
As workforce needs are not expected to
diminish in the industry, continued emphasis on
providing competitive wages and benefits will
remain an issue of great
importance.