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Colorado JBS Meat Packing Plant Workers Go on Strike
Employees demand higher wages and safer working conditions at the Greeley facility.
Mar. 16, 2026 at 3:22pm
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Workers at a JBS meat processing plant in Greeley, Colorado went on strike on Monday, demanding higher wages and safer working conditions. The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union Local 7, which represents 3,800 workers at the plant, accused JBS of speeding up production lines, reducing hours, and failing to properly reimburse workers for protective gear.
Why it matters
The strike at the JBS plant in Greeley highlights ongoing tensions between meat processing workers and their employers over wages, benefits, and workplace safety - issues that have become increasingly prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The outcome of the negotiations could set a precedent for other meat processing facilities across the country.
The details
The union claims JBS has increased the number of animals processed per hour from 390 to 420, while also charging workers $1,100 or more for necessary protective equipment. JBS has offered a 60 cent per hour wage increase in the first year, followed by 30 cent increases in the next two years, but the union says this is not enough given the higher cost of living in Colorado and rising healthcare premiums.
- The strike began on Monday, March 16, 2026.
The players
United Food & Commercial Workers International Union Local 7
The labor union that represents 3,800 workers at the JBS meat processing plant in Greeley, Colorado.
Kim Cordova
The president of UFCW Local 7.
JBS
The largest meat production company in the world, which operates the Greeley, Colorado plant known as the Swift Beef Company.
John Hickenlooper
The Democratic U.S. Senator from Colorado who issued a statement in support of the striking workers.
What they’re saying
“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 gives workers no choice but to stand together in solidarity and show the company that they cannot be silenced.”
— Kim Cordova, President, UFCW Local 7 (UPI)
“JBS has been charging many workers $1,100 or more in order to offset the company's expenses for life-saving equipment needed to ensure worker safety.”
— Kim Cordova, President, UFCW Local 7 (UPI)
“The right to bargain collectively is how working people win fair deals, and that's exactly what JBS workers are doing. They are the backbone of this company and deserve to share in its success. A fair agreement is within reach. Both sides should stay at the table until the deal is done.”
— John Hickenlooper, U.S. Senator, Colorado (UPI)
What’s next
The two sides are expected to continue negotiating in an effort to reach a new labor agreement and end the strike.
The takeaway
This strike highlights the ongoing tensions in the meat processing industry over worker pay, benefits, and safety conditions - issues that have become increasingly contentious during the pandemic. The outcome of these negotiations could set an important precedent for other meat plant workers across the country.
