Immigrants, Migration, and Worker Turnover at the Hog Pride Pork Packing Plant

Abstract

Employee turnover is pervasive in industries and services that offer low pay, low status, little career advancement, and stressful work environments. Turnover rates are particularly high in meatpacking. The focus of this article is a large meatpacking plant in Iowa that experienced annual turnover of 80%. Two themes emerged from this study: tension between the plant's predominate ethnic groups, Anglos and Latino immigrants, and working conditions. In terms of ethnic relations, Anglo workers and managers were frustrated by Latino migration strategies that attempted to recreate packing jobs as seasonal. Difficult and dangerous working conditions led to injuries, worker exhaustion, and turnover. Managers refused to recognize that the lack of meaningful work in the plant also contributed to workers' departure. They also refused to reskill jobs to provide ways for workers to take control of their work environment and create a personal relationship with their tools.