These were good, high paying jobs occupied by Americans at one time. A guy could raise a family on one of these jobs.
100 years ago, the story was about foreign-born immigrants working 12-hour days at the meat packing plants. The wages were so low that Sinclair called it "wage slavery". But the Lithuanians didn't speak very good English, so what choice did they have? The principle character in "The Jungle" sees his American dream of a decent life dissolve into nightmare as his job hauling steer carcasses in the stockyards leaves him bone-weary and unable to support his family.
Not exactly a description of a good, high-paying job occupied by Americans.
There was a nice fluff piece last week and they said that in the 1970 they made $22 per hour and now they make $11.00 and the Anglos don't cut it any more. I wonder why?