Trending Now - Colorado Meatpacking Strike Threatens US Beef Production Stability
WHO:
JBS USA, the largest beef processing company in the United States
United Food and Commercial Union Local 7, the union representing the striking workers
Kim Cordova, President of UFCW Local 7
Deborah Rodarte, an inside skirt cutter at JBS’s Greeley plant
WHAT:
JBS USA accounts for 85% of all US beef production.
The Greeley plant accounts for around 5% of the US beef-processing capacity.
The union alleges that JBS has offered wage increases averaging less than 2% a year.
Workers at the Greeley plant are charged as much as $1,100 for replacement personal protective equipment (PPE).
UFCW Local 7 reported that workers voted 99% in favor of authorizing the unfair labor practices (ULP) strike.
The previous contract was extended temporarily while negotiations continued until March 15th, 2026.
Approximately 3,800 meatpacking workers walked off the job at a JBS-owned plant
This strike is the first in the meatpacking industry in 40 years
The strike is intended to last two weeks but could be extended
JBS employs a workforce of 25,000 people across nine facilities nationwide
Beef prices have risen 15.2% in the last year
JBS agreed to pay $83.5 million in January 2026 over price-fixing allegations
WHERE:
JBS’s Greeley plant in Colorado
United States
WHEN:
The strike began on March 16th, 2026
The previous contract expired on March 15th, 2026
The Trump administration announced a beef import increase in February 2026
WHY:
Workers accuse JBS of retaliating against organizing workers and pressuring them to quit the union.
Workers are striking due to JBS's failure to meet demands for higher wages, life-saving safety equipment, and improved healthcare
Kim Cordova stated that JBS has been insisting on poverty-level wages while shifting healthcare costs to workers
HOW:
JBS has begun shifting cattle deliveries and production to other plants in anticipation of the strike.
The union is organizing a strike to demand fair negotiations for a contract that allows workers to live with dignity
JBS stated it will operate the facility to the best of its ability during the strike
(UPDATED March 17, 2026 05:26 UTC)
In a significant labor dispute, workers at the JBS USA Greeley plant, which accounts for about 5% of the country's beef-processing capacity, have overwhelmingly voted 99% in favor of authorizing a strike due to allegations of unfair labor practices. The union claims that JBS has offered wage increases averaging less than 2% a year and is charging workers up to $1,100 for replacement personal protective equipment. In response to the potential strike, JBS has started shifting cattle deliveries and production to other plants as negotiations continue following the temporary extension of the previous contract, which ended on March 15, 2026.
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(UPDATED March 16, 2026 19:24 UTC)
Today, approximately 3,800 meatpacking workers walked off the job at JBS's Greeley plant in Colorado, marking the first strike in the meatpacking industry in 40 years. The workers, represented by the United Food and Commercial Union Local 7, are demanding higher wages, better safety equipment, and improved healthcare, as their previous contract expired last Monday. JBS, which employs around 25,000 people across the country, has stated it will continue to operate the facility during the strike, which is set to last two weeks but may be extended.