Workers at U.S. Meat Processing Plant to Strike

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Nearly all workers represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 at a JBS USA beef processing plant in Greeley, Colorado, have voted to authorize an unfair labor practice strike starting on March 16. The strike comes after nine months of failed contract negotiations, with workers alleging issues like having to pay for personal protective equipment, discrimination against immigrant workers, and the company trying to force through low-wage contract options.

Why it matters

The strike at the world's largest meat producer threatens to further drive up meat prices in the U.S., which are already a major contributor to the country's cost-of-living pressures. It also highlights ongoing labor disputes in the meatpacking industry, which has faced allegations of worker mistreatment and safety violations.

The details

About 3,800 workers at the JBS USA beef processing plant in Greeley, Colorado, represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, voted 99% to authorize an unfair labor practice strike starting on March 16. The strike comes after nine months of failed contract negotiations, with workers alleging issues like having to pay for personal protective equipment, discrimination against immigrant workers, and the company trying to force through low-wage contract options. The union also cited an ongoing lawsuit against JBS alleging discrimination against Haitian workers at the plant.

• The strike is set to begin on March 16, 2026.
• Contract negotiations have been ongoing for the past nine months.

What’s next

If the strike goes forward, JBS has said it plans to temporarily shift operations to other facilities to try to mitigate the impact.