- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Workers Halt Strike at Major US Meatpacking Plant, Resume Negotiations
JBS USA agrees to reopen talks with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union after three-week walkout at Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley, Colorado.
Apr. 5, 2026 at 7:18am
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
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 the Greeley plant, which accounts for 6% of the total U.S. beef slaughtering capacity, threatened to disrupt the industry and potentially drive up beef prices for consumers at a time when cattle numbers have hit a 75-year low. The walkout was the first strike at a U.S. slaughterhouse since the Hormel plant strike in Minnesota in 1985.
The details
The union said workers will return to work on Tuesday morning after JBS USA agreed to reopen talks later in the week. JBS USA said its 'Last, Best and Final offer remains on the table' and hopes employees will have the opportunity to review and vote on it soon. The strike began on accusations by union officials that management retaliated against workers and committed other unfair labor practices, with the union saying the company offered less than 2% more a year in wages, which is less than inflation in Colorado.
- 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.
The players
JBS USA
The world's largest meatpacking company with a market capitalization of $17 billion, and the owner of the Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley, Colorado.
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7
The labor union representing the workers at the Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley, Colorado.
Kim Cordova
The president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union.
Nikki Richardson
A spokesperson for JBS USA.
Matt Shechter
The 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
“The company had offered less than 2% more a year in wages, which is less than inflation in Colorado.”
— Matt Shechter, General Counsel, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7
What’s next
The union and JBS USA are scheduled to resume negotiations later this week.
The takeaway
This strike highlights the ongoing tensions between meatpacking workers and their employers over wages and working conditions, as the industry faces challenges like drought, low cattle numbers, and rising beef prices. The resolution of this dispute could set the tone for future labor negotiations in the sector.
