JBS Greeley workers plan to strike starting March 16

Workers at the JBS-owned beef processing plant in Greeley, Colorado, announced this week they plan to go on strike starting Monday, March 16. This comes after eight months of negotiations between JBS management and members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, which is the union representing the processing plant workers.

The 3,800 plant workers cited unfair labor practices, low wages and inadequate safety equipment. The union has been discussing a new collective bargaining contract with JBS since the previous four-year agreement expired last summer.

“The goal of negotiations is never to go on strike, but when the company violates workers’ rights and ignores workers’ concerns about safety and health, the company give(s) workers no choice but to stand together in solidarity and show the company that they cannot be silenced,” said Kim Cordova, UFCW Local 7 president.