The Unkindest Cut of All: 
Wal-Mart moves to cut skilled meatcutter jobs

The retail giant claims it has been quietly making this transition to case-ready meat products. Wal-Mart went public with their plans in an attempt to prevent any additional meat department employees from getting a voice on the job.

Workers at the Palestine, Texas Wal-Mart have petitioned for a union in the meat department and Wal-Mart is attempting to deny these workers a vote by claiming this plan will cut their jobs.

In Jacksonville, Texas, Wal-Mart cannot make any such changes to its meat department without first bargaining over the proposed changes with the employees legally-elected union. If Wal-Mart's meatcutters in other stores had a union, they would also have a voice over any workplace changes Wal-Mart tries to make.

Since Wal-Mart's plan became public, meat department employees across the country are contacting the UFCW in greater than normal numbers to find out more about getting a union at their store.

In confidential memos to supervisory personnel at the five Arkansas supercenters where Wal-Mart has begun its transition to case-ready meat, managers were notified that meat departments will be restructured and that they are to sit down and explain to some meatcutters that there will be "changes in job responsibilities."

Workers across the country are hearing vastly different stories from their Wal- Mart managers about these proposed changes. These inconsistent stories raise serious questions about whether Wal-Mart in fact intends to make or implement this change. In testimony before the National Labor Relations Board on Tuesday, for example, Wal-Mart said that the changes would affect only some, but not all, meat employees. The evidence showed that Wal-Mart's decision to stock case-ready meat is not final and may be reversed in the future.

While Wal-Mart says it cares about employees, time and time again it shows that it cares only about the bottom line. This move eventually will de-skill Wal-Mart meat departments, push existing skilled meatcutters, making $10 and $11 dollars and hour, into clerk, cashier, stock, and other positions with lower wages, and fewer hours.

What's readily apparent is that Wal-Mart is content to provide employees cheers and lip service about how much the company cares. But when it comes to good jobs, good family health care benefits, and decent hours, the company hides behind its yellow smiley face.

Joining together through a union is the only way to make Wal-Mart a better place to work. With a union, employees have a real say about what happens in the workplace. With a union, employees can protect their jobs and sit down with management on an equal footing until they reach agreement on changes in their jobs and other terms of employment, including wages, hours, and benefits.