About 3,800 workers at a JBS-owned plant in Greeley, Colorado went on strike Monday morning. This marks the first walkout at a U.S. beef slaughterhouse since the 1980s.
Key Takeaways
About 3,800 meatpacking workers at a JBS-owned plant in Greeley, Colorado went on strike Monday in the first walkout at a U.S. beef slaughterhouse in four decades. The workers are demanding higher wages and safer working conditions.
- About 3,800 workers at a JBS plant in Greeley, Colorado went on strike Monday
- Workers demand higher wages and improved healthcare from JBS USA
- JBS stands by its contract offer which includes wage increases, secure pension, and financial stability
- The strike comes as beef prices have risen due to the smallest herd size in 75 years
The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union represents these workers who are demanding higher wages, life-saving safety equipment, improved healthcare, and reimbursement for protective gear from JBS USA according to CNN. The previous contract expired Sunday night. The strike is expected to last two weeks but could be extended.
The company has been accused of retaliating against organizing workers and creating unsafe working conditions by the union officials, as reported by multiple sources including PBS NewsHour, CBS News, and UPI. The union said in a news release that its workers 'perform some of the most difficult and dangerous jobs in the country' according to The Chicago Tribune.
JBS USA stands by its contract offer which includes wage increases, secure pension, and financial stability. The company also said it would operate two shifts at the plant Monday and would temporarily move production as needed to other JBS facilities according to multiple sources including AP News, The Chicago Tribune, and UPI. The strike comes as beef prices have risen due to the smallest herd size in 75 years, according to CNN.
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