One Nebraska meatpacker is finding out Americans are actually willing to do the jobs left behind by illegals if they are actually treated like valuable employees. What a concept!
A meatpacker in Nebraska has developed a "novel pitch" to attract more American workers: competitive pay, predictable shift scheduling, and better workplace ergonomics. pic.twitter.com/GW4Y1Nbzt8
— Daniel Kishi (@DanielMKishi) June 23, 2025
Angela Jones feels fortunate to have landed a job at the new meatpacking plant in this stagnant prairie town she’s long called home. She earns $24.50 an hour—far more than she made as a convenience-store clerk, custodian or construction flagger—and has health insurance for the first time in over 20 years.
But she’s also felt stress learning her quality-control duties, such as scrutinizing meat cuts moving down the line and ensuring workers properly sanitize their tools. Days before the May opening, she confided her concerns to the human resources and safety manager, who tried to buck her up with a pep talk.
“I just don’t want to disappoint the company,” Jones, 58, said from under her yellow hard hat. “Or myself.”
A similar mix of optimism and nervousness grips North Platte as the roughly $400 million Sustainable Beef operation roars to life.
For decades, this old railroad hub was stuck. Some employers departed, Union Pacific cut rail-yard positions and young people fled. Now, officials are pinning their hopes on a slaughterhouse, which promises an economic jolt but represents a risky bet and a crucial question: Will Americans work there?
“We needed to do something to stay relevant,” said Pete Volz, a city council member. “Sustainable Beef was the catalyst.”
Opportunity and hope have ebbed away in parts of rural America, including North Platte, as farming has declined and economic dynamism has concentrated in urban centers.
It’s almost like Americans WILL do those jobs. Similarly, it’s evidence that employers had been using the illegal status of their workers to treat them unfairly and pay them sub-par wages, knowing the workers wouldn’t report it or complain.
— Rochelle Wentz (@rochellewentz) June 23, 2025
Americans literally just wanted to be treated fairly.
So the companies saying “Americans won’t do these jobs” mean “I am not willing to budge an inch on my wages or my process to attract legal workers.”
— Corpo Scribe (@NightCityTimes) June 23, 2025
Now they have to.
so expelling cheap illegal labor naturally raises wages? will someone please tell the californians?
— Hugh Retard (@HughRetard) June 23, 2025
It's almost like this is what conservatives have been saying.
one of the main problems i can see places like this having is while their is people who want to work there, there might be a finite amount in the area and their "target market" may not have the funds to relocate, i'd offer to cover some amount of relocation costs
— editprofile (@picklejuicencat) June 23, 2025
Companies should consider innovative ideas like this. Little things make a big difference.
So, they don't make you work for slave wages... Shocker.
— Brett (@Texan__Pride) June 23, 2025
Competitive pay. Omg this crazy. Libtards said this was impossible.
— Destroyer of libtards (@WinningLibtards) June 23, 2025
As usual, they are wrong.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member