Meat&Poultry - December 2014 - 8

Commentary
BY JOEL CREWS
jcrews@sosland.com

Minimizing the issue
O

ver the past 12 months, I have toured

including hiring and sometimes firing.

several processing plants where meat

With the lure of earning $12 per hour

and poultry products manufactured for the

within a year based on performance and

foodservice segment constitute a majority

written tests focused on job duties, about

of those operations' revenues. And like any

40 percent would last six months. I was

supplier of goods to its customer base, these

always amazed and disappointed when

processors make it their business to stay in-

someone who seemed to really "get it"

formed about the trends, issues and chal-

would, after a few months, devolve into a

lenges facing their customers. Whether

chronic problem employee. Tardiness, no

fast-casual, institutional, fine-dining

shows and simply unannounced quitting

or quick-service concepts, proces-

among promising and high-performing

sors know that, like their own opera-

employees was the norm, not just in the

tions, foodservice operators' margins

chain I worked for but also according to

are razor thin and any threat to their

colleagues that worked in other foodservice

hard-earned profitability is taken se-

venues. Entry-level workers simply did not

riously. Depending on the challenge

realize that demonstrating a reasonable

du jour, processors are often called upon

level of commitment, responsibility and

to help minimize the financial fallout by

The "Fight for
$15" has made
headlines and
led newcasts
over the past
year, including
organized
walkouts and
images of
picket lines.

providing solutions behind the scenes.
Dating back to 2012, but reaching a

a willingness to learn could pave the way
for a respectable income in a reasonable
amount of time with the potential of making

fevered pitch this year, a number of protests

foodservice management a lucrative career.

have been staged and strikes organized

In this regard, I don't believe a minimum

among workers on the front line of the

wage of $20 per hour is going to instill

fast-food industry, demanding that the

responsibility and commitment among

national minimum wage be increased to

workers in an industry that provides an

$15 per hour. The "Fight for $15" has made

honest opportunity for millions of people.

headlines and led newcasts over the past

A $15 per hour minimum may become

year when organized walkouts have been

the norm, but the celebration might well

staged and picket lines outside QSRs have

come with an unexpected consequence.

created image and operational hiccups for

Rather than allowing payrolls to run off the

many national and international chains. At

ledger sheet, what is more likely to occur

least three cities have adopted the $15 per

is a collaboration between foodservice

hour minimum, while a majority of the rest

companies and their supplier companies to

of the country has embraced at least the

develop products and solutions to eliminate

current national minimum wage of $7.25.

the number of paper hats and polyester

In the late 1980s and early 90s, I worked

uniforms behind the counter. Automation

in restaurant management for a regional
fast-casual chain where I was responsible

address workers' goals of earning more, but

for maintaining a crew of about 50 workers,

8

and advances in food preparation could
at the expense of fewer coworkers. ■

* Meat&Poultry * December 2014 * www.MeatPoultry.com
http://www.MeatPoultry.com
Meat&Poultry - December 2014

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