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Workers Halt Strike at Major US Meatpacking Plant, Resume Negotiations
JBS USA agrees to reopen talks with union after 3-week walkout at Swift Beef plant in Colorado
Apr. 5, 2026 at 7:03am
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Workers at one of the nation's largest meatpacking plants have agreed to return to work and halt a three-week strike after plant owner JBS USA agreed to resume negotiations, labor union representatives announced. The strike by thousands of workers at the Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley, Colorado, began on March 16 in coordination with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union in a bid for higher wages and better health care.
Why it matters
The strike at Greeley is the first strike at a U.S. slaughterhouse since workers walked out at a Hormel plant in Minnesota in 1985. An extended strike threatened to disrupt the industry, which could ultimately drive up beef prices for consumers. The Greeley plant has about 6% of the total U.S. beef slaughterhouse capacity, making it a key facility in the national supply chain.
The details
Workers will return to work Tuesday morning after plant owner JBS USA agreed to reopen talks later in the week. The union said the company had offered less than 2% more a year in wages, which is less than inflation in Colorado. JBS USA has denied any labor law violations and said its contract offer was fair. The strike came as U.S. cattle numbers hit a 75-year-old low this year, a decline driven in part by drought and low prices offered to ranchers.
- The strike at the Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley, Colorado began on March 16, 2026.
- Workers will return to work on Tuesday, April 8, 2026.
- Negotiations between JBS USA and the union are set to resume later this week.
The players
JBS USA
The world's largest meatpacking company with a market capitalization of $17 billion. It is the top employer in Greeley, Colorado.
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7
The labor union representing workers at the Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley, Colorado.
Kim Cordova
President of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union.
Nikki Richardson
Spokesperson for JBS USA.
Matt Shechter
General counsel for the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union.
What they’re saying
“Workers remain united and will continue to fight.”
— Kim Cordova, President, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7
“Our Last, Best and Final offer remains on the table. We hope employees will have the opportunity to review and vote on it soon.”
— Nikki Richardson, Spokesperson, JBS USA
What’s next
Negotiations between JBS USA and the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union are set to resume later this week. The union said workers will return to the Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley on Tuesday morning.
The takeaway
This strike highlights the ongoing tensions in the meatpacking industry, where workers are pushing for higher wages and better benefits amid rising beef prices and a shrinking cattle herd. The resolution of this dispute could set the tone for future labor negotiations in the sector.
