I need information (or access/links to same) concerning the operation
of large meatpacking plants (especially pork) in mid-20th-century
America. I'm looking for explanations of the machinery, the tools, and
the job names/descriptions for the workers, including any inside
jargon/slang. I'm not interested in socio-political statements (e.g.
animal cruelty rants or unionism issues). All I want is descriptive
information on how these plants operated, what work was done, and by
whom.

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Request for Question Clarification by czh-ga on 19 Mar 2003 12:46 PST

Hello verngray-ga

I’ve started researching your question and discovered that the
information you’re looking for is more interesting and more
complicated than I expected. It seems that the post-World War II
period (your “mid-20th-century”) marked a major transition in the meat
packing industry that led to the closing of the stockyards, the
movement of meat packing plants closer to the feedlots and the rise of
new methods of meat processing and distribution. You’re asking about
how meat processing plants were run but I can’t focus my research
until I know more about your targeted time period. Please give me more
information about the context of your questions so I can scope out the
likelihood of finding the information you’re looking for. I look
forward to your clarification.

czh

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Clarification of Question by verngray-ga on 20 Mar 2003 06:28 PST

Thanks for your interest. I am looking specifically for information
about plants from the late 1940's to the early/mid 50's.

Perhaps this may interest you.
http://solidarity.igc.org/atc/fine77.html

--Bobbie7-ga