Fast Food Nation By Eric Schlosser
Chapter 7:
The Town of Greely, Colorado is a small meat packing town where everything was revolved around the business. But IBP meat packing company started a whole new way of meat packing. Instead of skilled workers working at these factories the factories began to structure with a disassembly line. This made it easier for the business to hire because desperate individuals, unfortunate individuals, and immigrants had no problems taking low wage jobs. Unions were started and were slightly involved but slowly started to get pushed out the picture. The Meat packing business was eventually changed for good because of their new techniques such as the disassemble line and low wages.
Quotes: “We’ve tried to take the skill out of everything.”(pg 154)
“Patience my ass” one vulture says to other. “im going to kill somebody.”(pg 159)
“The new meat packing plants in Iowa, kansas, texas, Colorado, and Nebraska followed IBP’s example, paying wages that were sometimes 50% lower than what union workers earned in Chicago.” (Pg 155)
Questions/Response: The meat packing business was ready to do anything to increase their revenue even if it meant breaking the law and innocent people being killed. I thought it was interesting how ConAgra meat packing business was worth 10 million dollars at one point but 20 years later they were worth 25 billion. Without the disassembly line this wouldn't be possible. Where would these companies be today without people willing to work for excessive wage cuts?
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