[Beagle8U]

"However, I would also take such a claim from a trade association with a very large grain of salt - they are hardly a neutral party to the debate."

The quote I posted was a few years old.

The brand new link that brownsfan posted was new and from a union site that said the average was $12-$13 and hour.

$7 an hour that you posted was way off.

In reality today the real average wage for meatpackers is $14-$15 an hour.

That is less than it was years ago when unions dominated the industry.

The economy adjusted to a world market where meat can be imported if labor causes it to be overpriced.

1950 is long gone and unions can't change the facts.

[brownsfan]

"The brand new link that brownsfan posted was new and from a union site that said the average was $12-$13 and hour."

Actually, it's Michelle Malkin's hot air site. And the drop was $20/hr to $12-$13/hr. I dare say any one of us who saw a drop of 35% in our wages, or portfolio, would be screaming now.

"1950 is long gone and unions can't change the facts."

And that's what VOTERS who are worried about their jobs want to hear. Just tell them it's globalization, and they're screwed, get used to it. That will work. Or, maybe it will put the Dems in charge and we will all go down the chute together?

[freedomfiter2]

In reality today the real average wage for meatpackers is $14-$15 an hour.

In northern PA it's $9-$12 as of 6 months ago.

[CharlesWayneCT]

We also don't know if the old "$20 an hour" or the new "13 an hour" include benefits or not.

Still, I can believe that 20 years of technological advancement has made "skill" less of an issue in the meatpacking industry. I don't know that to be true, but it could be true, which would tend to depress the wages of the workers.