CASE: II Doing the Dirty Work

Q1 How relevant are the concept of competencies to the job in a chicken- processing plant ?

Ans:- A competency is the capability to apply or use a set of related knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform "critical work functions" or tasks in a defined work setting. Competencies often serve as the basis for skill standards that specify the level of knowledge, skills, and abilities required for success in the workplace as well as potential measurement criteria for assessing competency attainment.

Concept of competencies is basically, The ability to perform some task; Meeting specified qualifications to perform; Implicit knowledge of a language’s structure or the ability to do something well, measured against a standard, especially ability acquired through experience or training so competencies is the skills ,knowledge, ability to do the particular task.

Working in a chicken processing unit is not an easy task. Not everyone will be willing and competent to work in a dirty, gleaming and unsafe setting because of the work environment, health issues and dangers associated with it. The workers have to fight the live birds when they first hang on chain, and the air inside the plant is difficult to breathe. The worker needs to be an expert to use the knives, scissors, and other machinery instruments they use to perform their jobs. On an average the chain moves ninety chickens per minutes for nine hours, so they should be efficient in managing time and be alert during the whole process as they work for a continuous pace. For example no one can vacate a post to use the bathroom or for other reason without the permission of the supervisor. The job requires experienced and patience labors who are willing to risk their life to dangerous working environment. For instance a vegetarian will not be competent enough to perform this job. Therefore, employees in a chicken processing plant should be very competent and most importantly willing to do the job.

Q.2:- How might you try to improve the jobs in a chicken processing plant?

Ans:-we can improve the jobs in chicken processing plants by1) Establishment of an effective human resources department2) Proper job rotations and shifts3) Hire or recruit more competent people and more specifically who are non-vegetarian so

they will be more able to do and handle these type of work more efficiently.4) Provide guidelines for using instruments such as knives, scissors and other dangerous

equipment. 5) We may also provide them any machine that will cut the chicken automatically so that we

can overcome the safety issues like cut and injury etc.6) Try to make the environment friendlier so that workers will enjoy the work7) Arrange for more space on assembly line or moving chain so that workers can easily

handle the work safely and by this we can reduce the danger at work.8) Provide a good and eco-friendly paper mask to the workers so that those workers who

don’t like the air inside the plant can work easily without suffocation.9) Those workers who don’t like to work on assembly line or don’t know the process we can

shift them to another jobs.

10) If any workers want to go for bathroom they can go without the permission of supervisor and while other workers will handle his job.

So by all above decision we can improve the jobs in a chicken processing unit because no. of poultry workers are increasing day by day in U.S. as well as in many countries like Georgia Alabama etc.

Q.3:-Are dirty, dangerous, and unpleasant jobs an inevitable part of any economy?Ans:- Yes, because this job provides employment opportunities to those who have less academic qualification. It constitutes a work force of around a quarter of million people in USA. Chicken processing industry has become a major competent of the many state economies like Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Alabama, etc and jobs such as these on the chicken processing are actually becoming increasingly common.

And also because of growing appetites for lean, easy to cook meat. And numbers of poultry workers has almost doubled since 1980 in U.S. because meat is cheaper there compare to veg food. And also because some unemployed workers in any economy doesn’t have skills to do any other work and for their basic needs they has to do these type of dirty and dangerous jobs. Because they don’t have any other options. In India also a large population is non vegetarian and unemployment rate is also high so many people have to these type of dirty jobs.

As there is a huge demand for the chicken not only in USA but in the global market. The hotel industry contributes a huge chunk of revenue to the economy.