Thousands of meatpacking workers walked off the job this week at a facility owned by JBS USA in Greeley, marking the industry’s first major strike in four decades and signaling rising labor tensions across the US food production sector.
The strike, led by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, involves approximately 3,800 workers, many of them immigrants, who are demanding higher wages, improved healthcare, and stronger workplace safety protections. The union said negotiations broke down after months of talks failed to produce an agreement addressing what workers describe as “poverty-level wages” and unsafe working conditions.
JBS, a subsidiary of the Brazil-based multinational JBS, is part of the four largest beef processors in the United States, which together control about 85% of the country’s beef production. The company employs around 25,000 workers across nine facilities nationwide.
Union president Kim Cordova said the company has shifted rising healthcare costs onto workers while failing to offer adequate wage increases. “For months now, JBS has been insisting on poverty-level wages for workers at the plant … while at the same time putting all the risk of rising healthcare costs on workers,” she said.
The strike began after the previous labor contract expired Sunday and is expected to last at least two weeks, though union leaders warned it could be extended if no agreement is reached. Workers have formed picket lines outside the Greeley plant, vowing to continue their action until their demands are met.
In response, JBS said its latest contract offer includes wage increases, a pension plan, and long-term financial stability, adding that it will continue operating the facility “to the best of its ability” during the strike.
The walkout comes amid rising beef prices in the United States, which have increased by more than 15% over the past year due to shrinking cattle herds—the smallest in 75 years, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. In February, the administration of Donald Trump announced plans to increase beef imports from Argentina by 80,000 metric tons in an effort to stabilize supply and prices.
Labor leaders warn the strike could have broader economic consequences. “If these plants close, it will have a huge impact on the economy—not just in Colorado, but in the US,” Cordova said.
The dispute also follows legal troubles for the company. In January, JBS agreed to pay $83.5 million to settle allegations of price-fixing in coordination with other meatpacking firms.
Workers on the ground say the strike is about more than wages. Deborah Rodarte, a cutter at the Greeley plant, described harsh working conditions and called for dignity on the job. “We work very hard, in difficult conditions, and want JBS to negotiate fairly for a contract that will allow us to live with dignity,” she said. “We will stand together on the picket line until JBS recognizes our value and treats us fairly.”
